Five women have been arrested in what detectives are calling the first prostitution stings in Island County history.
To the surprise of investigators, three of the women are Oak Harbor residents and they were allegedly prostituting themselves purely for money in tough economic times. Drugs didn’t appear to be a factor, as it often is in such cases.
The two undercover operations were made possible by Craigslist, an Internet site featuring free classified ads. Men and women in “the oldest profession in the world” use the modern technology to advertise themselves, making prostitution easy and available in nearly all corners of the nation.
It’s a widespread problem that state Attorney General Rob McKenna is trying to crack down on. He recently reached an agreement with Craigslist officials requiring people posting ads for erotic services to provide a phone number and pay a fee.
By JESSIE STENSLAND
Whidbey News Times Assistant editor
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