UPDATED 2:34 p.m. Friday
Deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department/County of Los Angeles Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) team assigned to Santa Clarita Station, joined the Sheriff’s Major Crimes Bureau – Vice Detail to conduct a “John” sting and prostitution sweep operation in Castaic last night.
The operation was conducted in response to complaints of prostitution related activities on Castaic Road.
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A total of 18 arrests were made, including 14 males for solicitation of prostitution, two females for loitering for the purpose of prostitution, and two males for interfering with a peace officer. One of the males arrested for solicitation was additionally charged with sexual battery.
Those arrested included:
- Whitney Lemnah, female, 23, of Castaic, for suspicion of loitering and prostitution
- Nicole Medina, female, 21, of Castiac, for suspicion of loitering and prostitution
- Christopher Cataneo, male, 40, of Castaic, for suspicion of obstructing a peace officer
- Timothy Poland, male, 25, of Valencia, for suspicion of obstructing a peace officer
- Leroy Graham, male, 49, of Santa Clarita, for suspicion of prostitution
- Vrej Khoudeda, male, 55, of Glendale, for suspicion of prostitution
- Arturo Ugalde, male, 38, of Los Banos, CA, for suspicion of prostitution
- Richard Wooten, male, 39, of Forest, MS, for suspicion of prostitution
- Sergio Ruiz, male, 48, of Salem, OR, for suspicion of prostitution
- Victor King, male, 41, of Redlands, CA, for suspicion of prostitution
- Jonathan Blank, male, 36, of Forsyth, MS, for suspicion of prostitution
- Jose Herrera, male, 48, of Fallbrook, CA, for suspicion of prostitution
- Pablo Carrillo, male, 27, of Soledad, CA, for suspicion of prostitution
- Jose Cabrera, male, 47, of San Francisco, for suspicion of prostitution
- Roberto Ayala, male, 38, of Hayward, CA, for suspicion of prostitution
According to Lt. Dustin Stillwell, most of the men arrested were truckers.
Future operations will be conducted to deter this type of activity. The investigations are continuing. There is no further information at this time.
If You See Something, Say Something! Anyone with information about a local crime is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Santa Clarita Valley Station at (661) 255-1121.
If you prefer to provide information ANONYMOUSLY, you can call “Crime Stoppers” by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), texting the letters TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or using the web site http://lacrimestoppers.org.