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Prostitution sting nabs johns in Chicago Heights

samsung1

Ohio

CHICAGO HEIGHTS (STMW) -- It's Friday night, and the Chicago Heights police are doing a little spring cleaning. One of their officers is dolled up like a prostitute, strolling up and down Chicago Road for customers.

The goal is to keep the pimps, drug dealers and hookers away from the Chicago Road business district.

"If there are no prostitutes, no one is going to be there," Police Chief Michael Camilli said. "If there is no one to buy baseballs, there are no baseballs."

Ryan Fitsgibbons, who joined the police force in September 2009, was the sting operation's point woman. She was offered the chance to work with the detective unit and immediately jumped at the chance.

"As ironic as it sounds, yes, I was flattered," she said.

Dressed in jeans, a white shirt, a gray sweatshirt and a ratty pair of athletic shoes, Fitsgibbons strutted up and down Chicago Road from Hickory Street to Independence Drive.

Officers inside surveillance vans parked nearby waiting for the signal. When Fitsgibbons took off her Chicago Cubs hat, two take-down vehicles in a nearby alley would swoop in and make the arrest.

Sgt. Tom Rogers coordinated the operation from inside his car. It was about 6:30 p.m. when the first call came in. Fitsgibbons had taken off her hat, and the takedown vehicle peeled out of the alley to make the arrest.

Rogers zips to the scene of the arrest where Matthew Condit, 29, 86 W. 24th St., Chicago Heights, is being put inside a police car. He will be charged with attempting to solicit a prostitute.

Not all customers are looking to buy sex. Some are looking to profit off what they see as a likely drug addict.

Jerry Jones, 32, 1414 E. 13th Place, Ford Heights, was charged with attempting to sell narcotics to an undercover police officer.

As officers were putting the cuffs on Jones, Gregory Scott, 33, 680 Douglas Ave., Calumet City, propositioned the fake hooker not even 20 feet away.

"This guy didn't care there was a squad car in the area," Rogers said. "He still had the audacity to pick her up."

When police searched Scott they felt a bulge by his ankle and found a Glock .9mm pistol in an ankle holster. He was charged with attempting to solicit a prostitute and a charge of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon is pending, police said.

Rogers has done such stings before, but the satisfaction was evident in his face Friday night.

"We as a police department and as a city are trying to send a message to these guys who are soliciting prostitutes," he said. "They'll never know if it's a real prostitute or an undercover cop."
http://www.wbbm780.com/Prostitution-stin…
Sunday, 11 April 2010