Spokane7
68°
February 10, 2012 in City
Multistate prostitution alleged
Police think California man leads operation
A group of traveling prostitutes suspected of settling in Spokane told police they were making good money here because the local competition is so ugly.
One woman is in custody and other arrests are possible as part of an ongoing investigation into a 36-year-old California man who investigators believe has been brokering sex deals while living out of motels in Portland, Seattle and Spokane. Two motel rooms in Spokane were searched this week.
Shaquisha L. Jenkins, 22, was arrested on a misdemeanor prostitution charge Tuesday when the Spokane Regional Gang Task Force searched rooms at the Stratford Suites, 11808 W. Centre Lane in Airway Heights, and the Bel Air Motel, 1303 E. Sprague Ave. in Spokane.
A Spokane police officer contacted Jenkins and an 18-year-old woman on East Sprague Avenue on Jan. 31 and was told “that because there is a lack of attractive prostitutes in the area, they are able to make fairly good money,” according to court documents.
Other officers were familiar with Jenkins – one contacted her Jan. 2 as she stood on Sprague, an area notorious for prostitution, with two other women.
The women told the officer they were prostitutes from California who traveled to Spokane via Seattle. The case began to center on the motels when the owner of the Stratford Suites, Jack Grady, told Airway Heights police he suspected a group of long-term guests were involved with criminal activity. A detective searched the registered renter’s phone number on the Internet and discovered it had been used by female escort services in San Diego, Portland and Fresno.
Meanwhile, task force members started watching the Bel Air Motel and observed several incidents of suspected prostitution.
Then Airway Heights police contacted Jenkins, her suspected pimp and the 18-year-old woman while responding to a possible domestic violence call at the Stratford Suites on Tuesday about 3 a.m. Officers said they found “crib notes for prostitution” that included phone numbers, names and suspected debt lists.
Hours later, a judge granted the task force permission to search the room and the suspects’ room at the Bel Air Motel.
Jenkins, who remained in jail on $500 bond late Thursday, was the only suspect arrested; police spokeswoman Jennifer DeRuwe said more arrests could occur as the investigation continues.
Human trafficking suspects released 
D Statler on February 10 at 7:24 a.m.
Spokane’s gang task force needs to be disbanded immediately. The corruption runs too deep for any quick fixes.From misappropriating millions in funds, to passing out drugs to addicts for information. The task force gang is no better than the gangs they supposedly pursue.Breaking the laws they are there to uphold is normal operating procedure.It is too hard for police leadership to keep these hired guns honest.History speaks for itself here.
I would think that Spokane has more important things for these cowboys to do than worry about adult hookers making a few bucks.It looks as if the cowboys were after the ladies money. That is really all this is about :^( EASY MONEY ROBBING HOOKERS
empyrius on February 10 at 8:09 a.m.
Selling ones’ time and services is “prostitution”?!?
Well, if you live in the U.S. you are a prostitute!
Now what type of service would you like and for how long?
Capitalism.
Verbal on February 10 at 8:52 a.m.
Geez D Statler, you make it sound like the task force is ran by Vic Mackie from The Shield.
The_Seer on February 10 at 9:22 a.m.
How many threads does this story need?
So far the number is three.
I still don’t understand why the comment threads can’t be carried forward each time an update or whatever happens when the story hits the print edition or other of myriads excuses used over the years to ignore fixing this problem for users of your services.
empyrius: Prosecuting consensual crimes is what the land of the free and home of the brave is all about. Here is a quote to shareholders from the CEO of of the Corrections Corporation of America, the largest private prison contractor in the U.S.
“Our growth is generally dependent upon our ability to obtain new contracts to develop and manage new correctional and detention facilities… The demand for our facilities and services could be adversely affected by the relaxation of enforcement efforts, leniency in conviction and sentencing practices or through the decriminalization of certain activities that are currently proscribed by our criminal laws. For instance, any change in respect to our drugs and controlled substances, or illegal immigration, could affect the number of persons arrested, convicted, and sentenced, thereby potentially reducing demand for correctional facilities to house them.”
Isn’t capitalism wonderful? We’ve allowed the development of a capitalist enterprise that feeds on the misery of man trying as hard as it can to be sure nothing is done to decrease that misery.
There are more black men in prison currently than were slaves in 1860.
The incarceration rate in the U.S. is seven times higher than all developed nations. Since 1980 the U.S. has increased incarceration rates more than 500% despite monster reductions in the crime rate across the U.S.
D Statler on February 10 at 9:40 a.m.
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/feb/12/spokane-police-deposited-millions-into/
Theres more :^(
D Statler on February 10 at 9:49 a.m.
Passing out drugs for informant help is illegal. It is no better than the dealers selling it :^(
D Statler on February 10 at 9:50 a.m.
Breaking laws to enforce them is illegal ! :^(
D Statler on February 10 at 9:51 a.m.
This might be worse than the TV show :^(
gb333 on February 10 at 10:09 a.m.
Hahaha.
Yeah, once had to make a bunch of trips back and forth, had to drive a part of Sprague each time.
Some poor lady was trying so hard to sell what she had, but my God, I couldn’t understand why even the most deperate man would want to buy what she was sellin’.
SMARTGUY on February 10 at 1:35 p.m.
Do it for cash, go to jail. Do it for jewelry, get half his stuff.
zelda on February 10 at 2:06 p.m.
I presume the better-looking hookers are operating via Craig’s List nowadays. It’s a special kind of desperation that would cause someone to walk the streets and a loathesome kind of need that would send someone cruising Sprague for a “date.” Human trafficking is no joke. I’m glad the SPD is keeping tabs on the new arrivals just in case there is some tie to gangs or organized crime.
kennyhuston on February 13 at 12:13 p.m.
This leading statement left me ROTFLMFAO & spitting Mt. Dew all over my monitor and keyboard:
“A group of traveling prostitutes suspected of settling in Spokane told police they were making good money here because the local competition is so ugly.”
If you listen really close you can hear a group of E. Sprague Hoes responding in unison, “Oh no they didn’t. You better tell me that they just didn’t!!!!”.
That is one of my favorite oxymorons though - High Class Call Girl.
Someone should be thanking that crew though - like the Spokane Convention Planning Board should be entertaining them with dinner & drinks for keeping the standards high in order to be a working gal in Spokompton - LOL!!!