Armed Man Among 16 Arrested In Bellevue Prostitution Sting

BELLEVUE, WA — A man arrested during a prostitution sting in Bellevue was arrested with loaded weapons and had a history of making threats against sex workers, according to police. A recent, one-night undercover operation at a Bellevue motel led to the arrests of 16 men, including a 38-year-old with two loaded handguns in his waistband, police said.

Shortly after the arrest, detectives said learned he had previously made statements to police about wanting to kill a sex worker.

"Prostitution is not a victimless crime," said Shelby Shearer, a Bellevue police captain. "Many sex workers become victims of robbery, assault and rape. But in this case, we very easily could have prevented something bad from happening."

In a news release shared Tuesday, the Bellevue Police Department said the men arrested during the sting had agreed to pay between $80 and $280 for sex at the hotel. Patronizing a prostitute is a misdemeanor in Bellevue, and prosecutors recommend those convicted also complete a mandatory, multi-week program about stopping sexual exploitation.

Read more on the Bellevue Beat Blog.