CORRECTION: Prostitution Sting Nabs 13 'Johns'
The sting at West Main and Knox streets last week was a joint operation between the Norristown Police Department and Pennsylvania State Police.
UPDATE: [Nov. 8, 12 p.m] According to police records, only 13 men were arrested in last week's prostituion sting. The records department initially reported 14 incident numbers connected to the case, but now report that only 13 arrests were made. The story has been updated to reflect the new information.
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Original Story:
Norristown and Pennsylvania State Police departments conducted a joint prostitution sting in Norristown on Friday, Nov. 2, and arrested 13 men ranging in age from 18 to 76. The men face charges including patronizing prostitutes, criminal solicitation and disorderly conduct. One of the alleged perpetrators is also being charged with resisting arrest.
In the sting, focused on the area of West Main and Knox streets, two female Pennsylvania State Troopers posed as prostitutes while subjects solicited sexual acts from them for money.
According to Norristown Police Chief Russel Bono, the area was chosen because of an influx of recent complaints in that area.
"For some reason that area is a magnet for prostitutes," said Chief Bono. "We've been doing details up there since I was a patrolman and every time we go up there we wind up making dozens of arrests."
The following defendants were arrested in the Friday night prostitution sting:
- Javie Vega-Gutierez, 30, of the 500 block of West Main Street was arrested for allegedly offering an undercover trooper $40 for sex.
- Jorge Pedraza-Nava, 35, of the 600 block of Green Street, was arrested for allegedly offering an undercover trooper $30 for sex.
- Eric Gomez, 26, of the 600 block of Homer Street in Salisbury, Maryland, was arrested for allegedly offering an undercover trooper $20 for sex.
- Scott Langwing, 25, of the 400 block of Cherry Street in Pottstown, was arrested for allegedly offering an undercover trooper and her partner $20 for sex with both of them.
- Dan Vargas-Gonzalez, 39, of the 500 block of East 24th Street in Chester, was arrested for allegedly offering an undercover trooper $20 for sex.
- Barrett Parks, 47, of the 900 block of Sunward Street in Gilbert, Arizona, was arrested for allegedly offering an undercover trooper $30 for sex.
- Irineo Gonzalez, 37, of the 800 DeKalb Street, was arrested for allegedly offering an undercover trooper $20 for sex.
- Michael Pitchford, 34, of the 500 block of Upland Street in Pottstown, was arrested for allegedly offering an undercover trooper $20 for a "hand job."
- David Conde-Resendiz, 23, of the 00 block of Blackberry Alley, was arrested for allegedly offering an undercover trooper $15 for sex.
- Felipe Garcia-Moreno, 50, 800 block of Fayette Street in Conshohocken, was arrested for allegedly offering an undercover trooper and her partner $20 for sex with both of them.
- Angelo Durante, 76, of the 900 block of West Marshall Street, was arrested for allegedly offering an undercover trooper $20 for a "blow job."
- Jeremiah William Moore, 22, of the 900 block of West Washington Street, was arrested for allegedly offering an undercover trooper $20 for sex.
- Nathaniel Dixon, 18, of the 900 block of West Washington Street, was arrested after reportedly struggling with police following a brief foot chase for allegedly offering an undercover trooper $10 for sex. Dixon is also being charged with resisting arrest.
Norristown Patch will update this story with additional information when it is released.
gerhard sweetman
10:21 am on Thursday, November 8, 2012
Sex is bad?. Support crime,make it illegal. Only free market is the black market.
Herp Derpington
11:21 am on Thursday, November 8, 2012
Sadly Gerhard, those in power realize the more things we legalise, the less bureaucrats we need.
Anthony Wayne
12:10 pm on Thursday, November 8, 2012
In the above list Angelo Durante is the by far the hero. I pray that at 76, I have his libido and plenty of twentys to toss around. On a more serious note, the feds have announced their intention to crack down on cash and barter transactions, as income for the welfare-warfare state dwindles in this stagnant economy. There will be plenty more stories like this as "stings" become the norm in the new world order.
SUEZQ
12:55 pm on Thursday, November 8, 2012
I always wondered about that Motel right in the middle of Norristown......now I know....suspicions confirmed
Vince D.
1:47 pm on Monday, November 12, 2012
That motel is so nasty, it should be condemned. They can't pay me enough money for an overnight stay at the Roach/Bed Bug Motel! I'd rather sleep in a metal hut!
B. Booey
1:26 pm on Thursday, November 8, 2012
I thought everyone knew this hotel was a whore haven. It has been for years.
Adam Sariego
2:16 pm on Thursday, November 8, 2012
Entrapment I say! I never agreed with these kinds of "stings". If officers are offering something illegal I dont get how that makes a right.
desiree cucolo
2:21 pm on Thursday, November 8, 2012
Obviously their not using the hotel to do the deed, cause i'd love to know where you can get a room for $20?
Lou Newby
3:26 pm on Thursday, November 8, 2012
lived on Knox St.. for years had many issues with hooker and johns over the years.. neighbors would go other side of main st and watch the stings.. the johns must be dumb as cat crap.. the decoys have all teeth and are to good looking for Norristown.
gerhard sweetman
7:33 pm on Thursday, November 8, 2012
Prostution is legal in many countries & sex crimes down, also human body not sinful & sex crimes down.
Maby moral'est are the problem
gerhard sweetman
11:44 pm on Thursday, November 8, 2012
Motel not the issue. Hand/ head jobs for $5-20. Secure in cars from big brother
Steve
9:31 am on Friday, November 9, 2012
Motel not really used for the business. Go down any of the streets towards the river from the hotel.........lots of guys sitting in their car alone with big grins on their face and their eyes turning Japanese......remember the song folks.
jxjipper
12:26 am on Saturday, November 10, 2012
I wish the cops could show us an ultraviolet light of the sheets at the No-tell Motel. I bet they glow bright purple. I can't believe we allow that hotel to act as a whore magnet for the last 25 years and there is no way to sanction or shut the place down. No owner is that STUPID to not know what goes on there. I don't care if the owners are refugees from Dunkin Donuts. They're smart enough to live in (for example) in $400,000 houses in Collegeville. It's graceful that the health department/code enforcement isn't up their asses 8 days a week.
gerhard sweetman
10:23 am on Sunday, November 11, 2012
Gandy,,"men go to jail,get sex freedom"
gerhard sweetman
12:41 pm on Sunday, November 11, 2012
Gandy,"men protest & fill jails, sex freedom follows"
What do women think? Does that upset their control of supply?
Vince D.
1:44 pm on Monday, November 12, 2012
Instead of focusing on Johns, why don't the feds and local government focus on the non tax paying illegals that we are stuck paying for? Our tax dollars paying for this operation is a waste of our money. Fix the real problems in Norristown...illegals & the rising number of criminal gangs coming from Texas & Mexico !!!
Angelo Durante
6:42 pm on Wednesday, November 14, 2012
all I wanted was a $20 knob job. I'm 76 yrs. old for Chrissakes, let me live my golden years happily!!
jxjipper
7:47 pm on Wednesday, November 14, 2012
I'm sure if many of us had known we could have kicked in some cash to find someone to keep you happy. You need a pay-pal account for contributions. You were probably in Korea in the early 50's and tyou deserve to bust one every now and then but not with the low rent garbage on these streets. How about Sophia Loren, she's still hot and kickin!
jxjipper
7:12 pm on Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Vince, our Borough Council loves these people. They have created a thriving downtown of 3rd world tax-less commerce. I'm surprised we haven't declared this an amnesty town. I don't know who is going to pay the taxes when the taxpaying workers all move out. (give it 10 more years) Maybe they'll accept food stamps as tax payment.