Ogden police nab 13 in prostitute stings

OGDEN — Police made 13 arrests during two stings targeting prostitutes and the men who patronize them.

The first sting, conducted Wednesday, resulted in the arrest of two for investigation of prostitution, said Ogden Police Lt. Scott Conley.

Conley attributed the low number of arrests to cold weather Wednesday night and to the "network" prostitutes have.

"They have a conduit of communication," he said. "Once one of them gets arrested, they start notifying each other that we're out there."

The second sting targeting "johns" was conducted Friday in central Ogden.

Two female officers acted as decoys, Conley said. They were backed up by members of the department's gang and crime reduction units.

"I think they made the first arrest in 15 minutes," Conley said.

Eleven men were arrested in Friday's sting. Police issued citations to 10 of the men and released them. The 11th man, who is in the country illegally, was booked into the Weber County Jail after a records check revealed an outstanding warrant for aggravated re-entry, Conley said.

— Geoff Liesik