Local & Regional "Springfield" "prostitution" News

Homeless advocates say news of a teen sex trafficking ring is sad -- but not surprising. "Somebody is trying to use them for illicit sex activities for pornography or exchange sexual favors for a place to live," a volunteer who works with homeless teens said.

Three people from Eugene and Springfield face charges they recruited girls under age 18 as prostitutes, instructing the girls on how much to charge for various sex acts and using the Web site Craiglist to recruit clients.

Prostitues are leaving the streets and heading online to attract customers.  Troublingly, more underage girls are becoming involved with online prostitution in Lane County. Since March, Eugene police have found 10 prostitutes ages 14 to 17 in the area.

Police nabbed another 15 people with undercover cops posing as prostitutes last week, even after a major bust two months ago where 13 people were arrested on suspicion of prostitution, including a public school superintendent who later resigned.

An investigation into an alleged prostitution ring that advertised underage girls on the Internet has resulted in a federal child sex trafficking charge against a Springfield man, 28-year-old DeSean Lavar Milton.

Thirteen men arrested for soliciting prostitutes. A Springfield business owner sentenced to prison for buying prostitutes as young as 14. And a pimp and six prostitutes under 18 arrested. "It's unfortunately just business as usual," Sgt. Richard Charboneau told KVAL News.

A sting operation involving an undercover police officer posing as a prostitute July 10 and July 11 resulted in the arrests of 13 men on suspicion of prostitution. The class A misdemeanor carries a maximum penalty of a year in jail and a $6,250 fine.

The superintendent of the Marcola School District faces a criminal charge that could cost him his license to teach in Oregon. Walter R. "Rolla" Weber, 62, of Springfield, Ore., was one of 13 men cited for prostitution over the weekend as part of a sting conducted by the Springfield Police Department.

A guilty plea in a case involving prostitutes as young as 14 offers a glimpse into a world of pimps, prostitutes and the former owner of a Springfield restaurant, who pleaded guilty to rape and sodomy on Wednesday.

Tempers flared and the mayor had to do a little civics lecturing as people sounded off pro and con.  Now, the state liquor board has to decide whether the owner gets a license or not.

Graffiti, tattoos, and baggy clothing used to give clues of who could be in a gang but these days, police say, that's not always the case.