Deseret News | Reader comments: More than 20 arrested in St. George prostitution ring

Reader comments
More than 20 arrested in St. George prostitution ring

citizenx | 4:23 p.m. June 9, 2008

This raid is a gross violation of individual liberty. Sex acts which take place between two consenting adults are of no danger to society, regardless whether the exchange of money or goods takes place or not. The fact that two adults wish to engage in a private sexual act is not of any consequence to any other persons. It is supposed to be the job of law enforcement agencies to prevent crime; there can be no crime committed unless there is direct harm to another. It is time that lawmakers order law enforcement officers to end their policing of morality and so they can resume their appointed task of preventing actual crime from disturbing the lives of peaceful citizens. Just the thought of how much government money is going to the investigation, prosecution and likely incarceration of these individuals is truly sickening not to mention the moral implications. We don't want government in our own bedrooms - why can't we leave the prostitutes, gays, polygamist, etc. alone already?

Compassion | 4:28 p.m. June 9, 2008

Are these some of the vermin the church wants us to have compassion for?

Hyrum | 4:33 p.m. June 9, 2008

They are just doing the "johns" the Americans won't do.

Comments continue below

Me | 4:37 p.m. June 9, 2008

From looking over what documentation is available, this operation cost around $190,000 thus far for ICE and LE. Everyone involved in the prostitution business was an adult and were participating of their own will. Prostitution will be reduced by about 1/80th of 1% (that's not very much) for a short period of time. What else could these law enforcement resources have done with their time? Solved 2 rapes, or provided 40% of a murder investigation and prosecution, or investigated and solved 4 robbery's. Perhaps having them on the street walking a beat would have prevented a rape or assault?

Was this a beneficial use of resources?

pohaku-1 | 5:52 p.m. June 9, 2008

What part of classical sexual perversion, disease transmission, female exploitation, drug addiction, physical and emotional abuse, violence, robbery and
[ oh, let's just skip "immorality" ] and plug in
any one more of your "reasonable choices" ________,
do you like and/or tolerate about prostitution...???

You finished convincing yourself | 5:59 p.m. June 9, 2008

Of course prostition is a problem and correlates strongly with every other serious crime. It is amazing that someone wants to debate the obvious.

RE You finished | 6:25 p.m. June 9, 2008

It doesn't. Prostitution is the oldest profession as they say. It correlates with every other crime because it is illegal, therefore the criminals get to organize it.

Did you think? | 6:57 p.m. June 9, 2008

Did you happen to think that the women, who were illegals, just possibly were working to pay off the (sub) human smugglers who bring them into our country? It's extremely common, once in the country, to hold the women hostage until additional huge additional sums of money are paid to the smugglers. Since most of them don't have the money, this is their "choice." There have been over 300 kidnappings per year just in Phoenix connected with either drug or human smuggling, mostly among illegal aliens. I am not soft on illegal immigration. But I am TOUGH on the coyotes who exploit them.
As for the men who use them--losers, losers, losers!
If we are going to arrest prostitutes, than we darned sure ought to arrest their "clients."

Anonymous | 7:21 p.m. June 9, 2008

Prostitution ought to be regulated and taxed, not banned, as small town Nevada does it. That will never fly here in Utah, but it would be interesting if it ever were to arrive. In the meantime, the profession will thrive unregulated and diseases spread because the demand certainly is there.

Anonymous | 7:29 p.m. June 9, 2008

Wow, citizenx, you're creepy.

Anonymous | 7:47 p.m. June 9, 2008

Legal prostitution sounds like a Libertarian utoopia...

Why don't we go ahead & sell crack cocaine at the local pharmacy, too?

Give pimps & drug dealers a little respecatability...

Crusty | 8:20 p.m. June 9, 2008

As best I can tell from the arrest records all but one of the prostitutes were US citizens. At least 3 of the illegals arrested had nothing to do with prostitution as either workers or customers. Not sure about the others.

Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium, who all have legal prostitution, also have significantly lower rates of HIV, AIDS, and STDs than the US. They also have lower rates of abortion, rape, and teen pregnancy. We do like to sit tall on our false piousness don't we...

Deseret Dawg | 8:49 p.m. June 9, 2008

Crusty - I took another look at the Washington County booking records. While the perps have American addresses, that doesn't mean they're American citizens. Indeed, their citizenship isn't even referenced on the booking records. So I guess I'll take ICE's word that they're illegals until officially announced otherwise.

Hey crusty | 9:26 p.m. June 9, 2008

why don't you quote your sources? It's easy to make qoutes, now back em up.

Citizenx, when will you learn | 9:49 p.m. June 9, 2008

Do you not understand the simple fundamentals of moral law. You cannot violate moral law without enslaving yourself to the appetites that result from your actions. You are free to engage in perverse sexual acts, drug use, porn, alcohol, smoking, etc., but you surrender the freedom of self control when you do so and become the very definition of a slave to your own appetites and passions. As the addiction grows the need for more and more becomes your every thought. When you run out of money and you can't buy it you take it by force or steal it.

Please don't lecture us about freedom absent of moral law. It's a contradiction of terms. And yes, society does have a collective say as to what standards of morality are in the best interest of the community.

History has spoken on the dangers immorality poses to the family which is the basic building block of any society. People who exhibit animal behavior should be treated accordingly.

I'm fine | 11:36 p.m. June 9, 2008

with the fact that they spent the money to get these people in jail. Although not always, many of the women in these cases are victims. As are the people who pay to have prostitutes in a way. They are victims to their addictions as said above. A neighbor of mine had his family saved when he was finally caught, placed in jail and then rehab, and fixed up his life. If the cops hadn't pretended to be a 14 year old over the internet, I don't know how longer this guy would have been slowly dying inside and taking his family with him, unbenownst (sp?) to them.

RE: CitizenX & Me | 11:52 p.m. June 9, 2008

First of all, the whole "anything that is consensual should be legal" argument is not only bogus, but tells me much more about yourself than the principle you're trying to emphasize. I'm assuming you also believe anyone who wants to end their own life and employs the help of another should have that right, and the person assisting in the suicide is completely justified. Say, some 20-year old drug addict who feels hopeless and asks his older and wiser friend to shoot him, and his friend should follow suit? No legal ramifications? After all, it's totally consensual...

Grow a backbone. Accept that just because evil seems to prevail in so many facets of life, doesn't mean it has to prevail in your own. Procreation is not only sacred, but it is an honor to have that power when exercised in the proper way. The idea that two or more individuals can decide to idolize those acts and mock that which is sacred in your own life will bring down society if we allow it. But not on my watch.

The world is only as big as my family...

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