PROGRESS!

NEWS RELEASE

HOWARD COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF POLICE

OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

For Release: October 22, 2008 Contact: Sherry Llewellyn

(410) 313-2236

Vice Operation Results in Ten Prostitution Arrests

Howard County police have charged 10 people with engaging in prostitution during an undercover operation in Jessup. Vice detectives and female officers worked Thursday evening to identify suspects soliciting prostitutes along Route 1.

Female officers in plain clothes stood in areas targeted by citizen complaints to determine whether they would be approached and offered money for sex. Suspects who approached the female officers and made such offers were arrested for solicitation of prostitution.

The following suspects were arrested and charged with solicitation of prostitution:

Rafael Rios Marin, 37, of Laurel

Wilson Joel Morales Alvarez, 32, of Laurel

Melquin Portillo Ochoa, 20, of Columbia

Aleman Jose Alcides Hernandez, 20, of Columbia

Ibraham Samura, 26, of Jessup

Arthur Lee Warren Jr., 43, of Nottingham

Christopher Lanehart, 25, of Laurel

Edward Witherspoon, 49, of Columbia

During the operation a man approached an undercover female officer, identified himself as a “pimp” and inquired about prostitution prices in the area. He left, returned with a woman and walked her to Route 1. A male undercover officer made contact with the woman and she solicited him for prostitution. The woman and man both were arrested:

Geraldine Felcidad Brooks, 20, of no fixed address was charged with one count of prostitution.

Harold Chip Hamilton, 48, of Upper Marlboro, was charged with running a prostitution business, general prostitution and possession of marijuana.

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Cedar Motel Prostitution Activity

The Cedar Villa Heights community has had enough of the on-going prostitution activity at the Cedar Motel. An awareness/action campaign has begun and we are working with State and County officials to resolve this problem. We will be meeting with Captains Gardner and Jones to come up with a community action plan. In the interim, please follow the tips provided in the recent community awareness flyer passed out over the past couple of weeks. Take plenty of photos if you can. Here are some recent photos taken at the motel.