Woman charged with prostitution at police station
SALEM, Ore. - A prostitute walked past an entrance to the Salem Police Department and uniformed officers to an unmarked door at police headquarter to make contact with a "John" she met online, police said.
Instead of exchanging money for sex acts, however, the 20-year-old Portland woman was greeted by detectives and taken into custody on charges of prostitution and promoting prostitution, police said.
The incident happened January 11, which was National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, police said. The Salem Police Department issued a press release about the arrest on January 24.
Jail records indicate Smith was released January 14 on her own recognizance.
An undercover street crimes detective had been communicating with a woman online through an internet site, by phone and by text message for a couple of days, police said. The communications consisted of negotiations for sexual activity in exchange for money.
On January 11, the suspect agreed to come to Salem from Portland in order to perform sexual acts in exchange for money, and she was directed to an unmarked door of the Salem Police Department, police said.
The suspect followed the directions to the door and attempted to make contact with who she believed was a "John" at that location. Instead, she was contacted by detectives and taken into custody without incident.
Police identified the woman as Christal D. Smith, 20, of Portland. She was taken into custody and booked into the Marion County Jail on charges of prostitution and promoting prostitution.
In order to get to the door where she was arrested, the suspect walked through a courtyard where the clearly marked public entrance to the Salem Police Department is located, police said. She also walked past several uniformed police officers.
Police urged anyone caught up in prostitution to seek help. The Northwest Human Services Crisis and Information Hotline is available 24-hours day at 1-800-560-5535 and the Mid-Valley Women's Crisis Service can be reached at their 24-hour crisis line at 503-399-7722.
The Salem Police Department urges anyone who seeks assistance getting out of prostitution or who knows of anyone who needs assistance to contact their local service providers or call 911.
Legalize prostitution? Might not be a bad idea, except that their pimps would be taking even more money. Make it a mandatory death penelty for pimping and trafficking minors, let the girls work for themselves.
Looks like a dude !
Poor baby
I find it very strange that a prostitute would travel from Pdx to Salem. I can't see how there could be any money in that for them. Sounds like this isn't a poor streetwalker either, but someone pretty organized about it - perhaps part of a group and that's why they went to the trouble to set up a sting.
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It was smart having her come to the station, now she can't claim entrapment.
See even the cops are afraid to go out on the streets. now they just give the criminals directions to the back door so
they can arrest them there. time to buy and wear a gun on your waist.
@32jim2 At least they didn't make her bring the donuts....boy, that would be adding insult to injury.
"The incident happened January 11, which was National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, police said."
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So? What does that have to do with anything? Was she coerced into this crime? The article doesn't offer any support for a connection to human trafficking.
 @Todd McDonald The "SO" about it is, that it's just an interesting factoid. But human trafficking includes "johns" who exploit women. This particular woman didn't need much coercion, obviously.
to loosely quote George Carlin, Sex is legal, and buying is legal.. so what's wrong with buying sex? ;-) .... now the morally correct side comes out.. Boo! Shame on her! How unintelligent do you have to be to not realize you're meeting up with someone at the police station for sex?
 @Merval I actually think they should legalize it, but that still shouldn't legalize what johns do. Kids who are feeling unworthy are really susceptible to some of the ways johns exploit them.
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 @Dr. Rawdog She was planning on getting a "stinger", but didn't plan on the "sting"
As if there aren't enough prostitutes in Salem.
This article is horrible. Â So wrong to post her photo and drag her through the mud. Â Obviously, the young woman has serious issues and needs help. Â Imagine all the resources wasted on this "sting" were spent trying to actually help her? Â The shame is on us as a society.
 @ddaviespdx I don't disagree. But the cost of trying to help these people is higher than you might think. I took in two foster daughters who were 15 and 16 and had become prostitutes. Trying to teach them to respect themselves was not a simple task.
ok, so how much manpower did our fine Salem PD spend chasing this bad criminal... Really!? What a waste of money to keep tracking down these prostitutes that are of LEGAL age. Why don't we actually work on getting to tracking real criminals. I understand there could be drug issues or maybe there was not, no one knows. If she DROVE to Salem to make money I would assume that Salem PD offered decent money. Our system is getting worse by the day. Does anyone remember MYOB?
They didn't chase her anywhere...just sent here the address and she came right in.Â
Since there really isn't any space in jail for these minor crimes and she will never go to court there really isn't a penalty. So why should she worry or stop her illegal behavior.
I have to wonder at what age she got into the racket: 13-15 years of age, I bet. Just someone who didn't get help out when she was a minor, maybe.?
who ever wrote this article needs some English lessons.... ....She also walked passed several uniformed police officers. it's "she walked past" not she walked passed....holy cow....the dumbing down of America...
 @pam Likely, the writer had been planning to say she'd passed them, then changed it. I don't make a lot of spelling or grammar errors, but I've done that on occasion.
I assumed she was blond.
Pretty dumb...
Wow. Talked about getting pwned! Lmao.
I think she wanted 3 hots and a cot
That is a hard looking 20 year old that looks 50! And how stupid can you be to go meet a "John" at the police station?
 @pdxd She looks like she might be "slow".
"In order to get to the door where she was arrested, the suspect walked through a courtyard where the clearly marked public entrance to the Salem Police Department is located, police said. She also walked passed several uniformed police officers."
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Wow... I mean, just... wow.Â
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Clearly a future MENSA candidate there. Â Or, a drug addled individual who has tunnel vision in persuit of money to get her next fix, and as a result is so completely desensitized to reality that she is little more than a zombie.Â
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Ms Smith, there are two phone numbers offered at the bottom of the article. Please, for your own sake, CALL ONE! The life choices you are currently making will end badly for you.Â
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"In order to get to the door where she was arrested, the suspect walked through a courtyard where the clearly marked public entrance to the Salem Police Department is located, police said. She also walked passed several uniformed police officers." Â (from the story)
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My gosh..! Â I live in Salem; SPD is right in there with City Hall, the Muni Court, etc... Â There's no WAY you can miss the SPD station there... big signs, very well-lighted, there's usually several uniformed cops around, and if you park in the parking area for City Hall, there's a whole section that's reserved for SPD's patrol cars, and there's always a whole slew of their cars there..! Â Â
Nothing like paying attention to your surroundings, huh..!
Ms Smith definitely sounds like she's a few fries short of a Happy Meal...Â
 @margay1 or she has serviced cops before when it wasn't cops who were setting up a sting.
@margay1 I seriously didnt know whether or not to laugh or cry after reading this story......
Most prostitutes aren't too bright but this one puts fugly to shame. I guess some people will pay for anything. Sad.
Nothing better to do than bust a poor girl looking for a couple bucks? Is there no more meth in Salem, all the gangs are under control? What a waste of taxpayer dollars.
 @WTFWTF Why are we not lamenting the fact that a poor woman doesn't appear to have the brain power to understand that she is entering a , , , , , <wait for it!> , , , , , , POLICE STATION?
Hello?
<echo>
 @Jumpin' Jehosophat What I find curious is that she thought nothing about doing business in a police building with officers nearby... you could think about the implications of that, but more likely you'll just dismiss her as a clueless idiot, like everyone else. Either way, breathe a sigh of relief 'cause the streets of Salem are safe tonight!
 @Jumpin' Jehosophat Whoosh - right over your head. Never mind.
 @WTFWTF  Please forgive me, but I think that is exactly what I was riffing on. My apollogies if I ruffled feathers.
This doesn't look like the brightest bulb in the lamp !
 @Rob C 503 More like a guttered-out candle in the chandelier, don't you think?
I presume she is the one paying?
@oldcouvguy Shed have to pay a ton! Again Im sorry, I'll save everyone a seat in hell, but eww.
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She's 20? Â
 @Sundowner All depends on what binary code you're using, I suppose , , , , as well as how thick the bottom of the empty beer mug goggles are. Or so I've , , , heard.
Im sorry but who would pay for that?!?!?!?
 @cantcurestupid sortbait might take a cast at it!
@Jumpin' Jehosophat Im normally not mean spirited like this, and honestly I have no room to talk about looks but Im not trying to sell myself either.......
"...the suspect walked through a courtyard where the clearly marked public entrance to the Salem Police Department is located..."Â Chances are, based on her occupation, she's unable to read.
It's ridiculous that prostitution is not legal.. Â She is just trying to make a living.. Â Sad thing is, you really don't need to pay for sex if you are on the right "internet" site... just need a bit of charm and charisma.Â
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