139 Men Arrested In Sex-Buying Sting Along Aurora Avenue: Police

SEATTLE, WA - Seattle police recently arrested 139 men - including a convicted child molester - in a sting targeting sex-buyers along Aurora Avenue North. Police set up a phony sex-selling operation operating out of a storefront along Aurora to lure the johns. The sting took place between June 24 and July 1, according to the city of Seattle.

City Attorney Pete Holmes announced the results of the sting on Wednesday. His office is currently reviewing the arrests for prosecution. Among those arrested were a juvenile; a convicted child molester and registered sex offender; a formerly registered sex offender; and a man carrying methamphetamine.

A similar Seattle police operation in 2016 netted 204 would-be johns. Those cases are still be prosecuted.

Holmes contrasted this most recent sting with prostitution tactics of the past, which focused on arresting women and girls selling sex.

"In the past, like most jurisdictions, Seattle law enforcement efforts were largely focused on prostituted women and girls – the true victims of prostitution,” he said in a statement. “This was neither a just nor effective approach; prostitution and trafficking continued to grow in our area. We changed our policy to reverse the trend and reduce the crime of commercial sexual exploitation and related crimes in Seattle using a two-prong approach: reducing sexual exploitation through strong prosecution standards, and reducing prostitution by facilitating exit.”

The stretch of Aurora Avenue between Fremont and Shoreline has long been notorious for prostitution activity. According to a report by KUOW, Aurora Avenue began attracting transients, pimps, and prostitutes in the 1960s, after the motels along the road began losing business as the region expanded.

In Seattle's most recent development boom, parts of Aurora Avenue are being redeveloped, and many of the most notorious motels have closed. The closed Klose-In Motel was one such spot. After being closed to make way for a storage facility, the vacant motel still attracted squatters and was a local eyesore. It burned in a fire last December.

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