Well, they get the money back after arresting her anyways, right?

I mean, I still think this is crooked, but just thinking the money does not actually go anywhere.

Another waste of tax dollars even prosecuting this shit, esp when people are struggling to make ends meet, who is this hurting except the prostitute? Who, by the way, is the one in most need of help here.

Must be nice though, getting a hand job AND the moral high ground.

I think the fact that the article lists off about a half dozen ways in which the activity maybe illegal, including that there is some suspicion that the informant was told he would be arrested on a separate charge unless he did this for them, is the bigger issue than what happened to the 150 bucks. Although it never states that it was recovered.

Sorry, guys. Yes, afterward, they recovered $100 of the $150, judging from the reports. It's not clear where the alleged prostitute put the other $50.

"Prostitution as you know exploits women, degrades neighborhoods, degrades people"... Therefore we're going to engage in it! For fuck's sake, it takes two people to actually complete an act of prostitution! And actually getting a handjob - having this woman get you off - then arresting her... to me, that sounds pretty fucking "exploitative" and "degrading". These cops and DAs should be ashamed of themselves. I am disgusted that public servants would be getting handjobs on the clock in the false name of "justice".

Got to be the most expensive hand job ever,

WHO THE HELL IS RUNNING THE SHOW OVER THERE!?

GIVE THE DAMN PPB TO RANDY LEONARD, SAM.

Where does one apply for the job of "confidential informant?"

Where do I sign up to be a police informant?

Dammit...that's what I get for not refreshing the page before commenting. Well played, Demondog.

How can it possibly be legal for the cops to pay someone to get a hand job and arrest the woman doing it?! The people involved in drug stings don't get to use the drugs do they?I'm appaled and even more humiliated by the "law" officers in this city. Once again, the most vulnerable of our citizens are punished. For shame.

The officer definitely broke the law in terms of the city ordinance of Unlawful Prostitutuion Procurement Activites [ http://www.portlandonline.com/auditor/inde… ] That's what Six months in jail?


A. As used in this Section, "prostitution" means that unlawful conduct defined in Section 14.A40.040 of this Code. As used in this Section, "prostitution procurement activity" means any conduct by any person that constitutes a substantial step in furtherance of an act of prostitution. Such activity includes, but is not limited to, lingering in or near any street or public place, repeatedly circling an area in a motor vehicle, or repeatedly beckoning to, contacting, or attempting to stop pedestrians or motor vehicle operators.

B. It is unlawful for any person to engage in any prostitution procurement activity with an intent to induce, entice, solicit, procure, locate, or contact another person to commit an act of prostitution


They are definitely guilty of Promoting Prostitution [ https://www.oregonlaws.org/ors/167.012 ]

1)A person commits the crime of promoting prostitution if, with intent to promote prostitution, the person knowingly:
(b)Induces or causes a person to engage in prostitutionor to remain in a place of prostitution; or
(c)Receives or agrees to receive money or other property, other than as a prostitute being compensated for personally rendered prostitution services, pursuant to an agreement or understanding that the money or other property is derived from a prostitution activity; or
(d)Engages in any conduct that institutes, aids or facilitates an act or enterprise of prostitution.

a word of caution here...the only guy quoted saying the cops committed a crime is the defense attorney for the prostitute. a bit of a tainted source

I think it is the police reports obtained by the Mercury that show that the officers conspired to give money to a person to go get the handjob and the officers thereby took a substantial act in furtherance of an act of prostitution. The DA and the police aren't denying that their officers were involved in this activity. Their own reports apparently seem to show that they caused a person to engage in prostitution.

Don't forget, the infomant is guilty of prostitution himself because he offered money in exchange for a sex act. The police and DA seem to be helping him and encouraging him to commit the act. Heck, they gave him the money for the act!

"Prostitution as you know exploits women, degrades neighborhoods, degrades people."

So it's less degrading if she gives a handjob (i.e. engage in prostitution) to an informant (who may is himself being coerced), then gets arrested (more humiliation) by the cops who came up with the idea (conspiracy) and they take the money away from her.

Good to know the DA is so concerned with protecting prostitutes from degradation.

This from someone calling him/herself "DeadTedKennedy." Stay classy.

i am not a #. i am a free man!

Wait a second. The cops get an "informant," who is anonymous... who could well be a cop or the neighbor/buddy of a cop. They give this guy a couple hundred bucks and send him off to get serviced by prostitutes. After he's had a nice time and feels refreshed - boom - the cops show up and bust the prostitute?

This sounds like a ploy to use public money to score some free handjobs. It's not enough that our cops are road-raging nuts, now they're taking out their feeling of inadequacy on PDXs (vulnerable) prostitutes?

It's only a matter of time before some wise guy performs a "citizens arrest" right after getting a blow job because he'd rather keep his $100.

Seriously though, anti-prostitution initiatives must target johns, not women working the streets who are already exploited and don't need any extra exploitation from Portland's finest.

ps: How do they advertise and select their informants in this position? Is there a form people can fill out if they'd like to volunteer?

err, I guess I should have read those other comments first.

Jeez-how embarrassing. Has this story been picked up nationally yet? $150 for a handjob? He couldn't have negotiated for a lower price? Those are tax dollars damnit!

The whole thing brings this episode of South Park to mind:

http://www.southparkstudios.com/guide/1309

Am I the only one who wonders why a hand job is so expensive? Did he really get his money's worth?

Nice cartoon work!

$150 for a handjob sounds pretty rich. With a recession on? I think the po-po paid way above market price.

I would like to volunteer my services to the Portland Police Department in recieving handjobs. I have a lot of experience in this arena and they wouldn't even have to threaten to charge me with a crime.

Totally bogus!
We are so behind so much of the civilized world when concerning prostitution.
Sex workers need the same respect and treatment as any other citizen.
Clem

AN OUTRAGE!! Well, defense lawyer Stinson is on solid ground as far as forcing identification of the informant because the informant is a percipient witness and under US Supreme Court case Rovario v. U.S., as well as the Oregon Evidence Code, if the informant is not identified the case must be dismissed.

What NEXT from our PPB??? This is as bad or worse than the 80's.

Remember the "to catch a stoner" article? http://wweek.com/editorial/3539/12906/

Resorting to entrapment is not new. I wonder what form it will take next.

Forget the stupid use of $150 bucks. How much will it cost in paperwork and man hours for the DA's office to assess then (probably) dismiss this case?

Is anyone really surprised? We are talking about the thug pigs of this city. They don't give a rats ass about doing things that are illegal.

A sting operation..Hmmm, I wonder how many other sting operations our tax dollars are funding, with the end result being illegal activity perpetrated by the very people paid to enforce the law. Shameful.

They overpaid for that type of service. Comparative shopping my friends.

Cops are such jerks..............

COPS AR JERKS, IMMORAL AND BULLY'S...