MEMPHIS, TN – Memphis Police Director Larry Godwin and Shelby County District Attorney Bill Gibbons announced Tuesday that Memphis police officers made 64 arrests, most for patronizing prostitution, during a special vice unit operation that targeted two areas along Lamar Avenue known for incidents of prostitution. The operation was planned as a component of the Memphis Police Department’s ongoing Blue C.R.U.S.H.™ initiative.
The “Wheels for Deals” operation was conducted over three days, beginning last Thursday, April 17 and concluding Saturday, April 20. Vice unit officers from the Organized Crime Unit conducted the operation in two locations, on Lamar near Pearson and on Lamar at Clearpool Circle. Memphis police seized 42 vehicles and two handguns. The vehicles were transported to the West Tennessee Drug Task Force’s impound lot. The District Attorney’s Office will seek forfeiture of the vehicles because they were used to commit a sex crime.
Officers charged 55 individuals with patronizing prostitution within 1.5 miles of a school, a class A misdemeanor with a mandatory seven days in jail and $1,000 fine. The intersection of Lamar and Pearson is 1.16 miles from American Way Middle School. The intersection of Lamar and Clearpool Circle is 1.09 miles from Sheffield Elementary School. Police also charged four individuals for promoting prostitution, a class E felony. Additionally, officers charged two individuals with felony drug possession and arrested one individual for driving while license suspended.
Jessie Williams and Cortez Williams were charged with promoting prostitution on Friday evening. On Saturday, both defendants returned to the ongoing operation with Melissa Williams, the sister of Jessie Williams and the mother of Cortez Williams. Jessie Williams and Melissa Williams were charged with assaulting one of the vice unit officers who helped make the arrests the night before.
Two individuals, Devon Hamilton and Edward Rogers were on duty MLGW employees and were driving an MLGW utility truck when they approached vice unit officers and were arrested for patronizing prostitution. Officers did not seize the truck, but instead, released it to an MLGW supervisor.
One individual, Randall Stovall, approached vice unit officers on foot while his 7-year-old daughter waited in his vehicle. Officers transported the girl to her grandmother’s house after arresting Stovall for patronizing prostitution.
“In just three nights our vice unit officers were approached by more than 60 men wanting sex or wanting to promote prostitution. This is the type of crime that continues to bring down neighborhoods and areas of business and it will not be tolerated in the city of Memphis,” said Director Godwin.
“I hope this operation sends a clear message. If you drive around this city and patronize prostitutes, you are committing a crime, and you are very much at risk of not only being arrested, but having your vehicle seized and sold,” said District Attorney Gibbons. “The D.A.’s Office welcomes all of the forfeiture cases the Memphis police want to bring to us, and we are prepared to go to court to keep the property,” Gibbons added.
As of Tuesday, all but two of the defendants were out of jail on bond.
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