PORT ORCHARD — Detectives from the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office, with the assistance of officers and detectives from neighboring law enforcement agencies, arrested seven people for solicitation of prostitution March 25 in Port Orchard.
Officials say the arrests are part of the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office’s continuing effort to battle human trafficking in the county.
Past multi-jurisdictional teams have conducted emphasis patrols that targeted the “supply,” or prostitutes, and their “pimps,” or handlers. In the emphasis patrol conducted March 25, the target was the “demand,” or the patrons who are perpetuating human trafficking by purchasing services.
Sheriff’s detectives placed advertisements on the classified advertisement website Backpage.com, which offered “escort services” for hire and listed phone numbers for contact. These numbers were manned by undercover detectives who exchanged text messages with potential patrons as the suspects arranged “dates” involving sexual acts in exchange for money. These “dates” were to occur at a pre-determined location.
When the patrons arrived at this location after having entered into an agreement on service and price with the undercover detective, they were met by officers and taken into custody for solicitation of prostitution.
Over the course of several hours, seven men were arrested. The suspects ranged in age from 18 to 63 and hailed from as far away as Port Ludlow.
One man from North Kitsap was among the arrested.
Dustin Wayne Crawford, 40, of Suquamish, has been charged with patronizing a prostitute in Kitsap County District Court.
Residents can expect additional similar enforcement operations in the future.
“We are going to continue targeting human trafficking in Kitsap County and will hold perpetrators accountable for their involvement,” Detective Lt. Earl Smith said in an announcement of the arrests. “If it wasn’t law enforcement there, who would it be? It could be a 15-year-old child and an adult. Because we are here, another person is not being victimized.”
All suspects were booked into the Kitsap County Jail and bail set at $10,000. Initial court appearances were scheduled for 1:30 p.m. March 26.
Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by Bremerton Police Department, Poulsbo Police Department, Bainbridge Island Police Department, and the Kitsap County Prosecutor’s Office.
ONLINE: The Washington Anti-Trafficking Response Network website, www.warntrafficking.org, has information on resources and contact numbers.
