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16 charged for promoting prostitution
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Posted on Apr 20 2000
The Attorney General’s Office yesterday charged 16 people arrested in a prostitution crackdown Tuesday evening by police and immigration agents with promoting prostitution in the second degree.
Assistant Superior Court Judge Juan T. Lizama has set a $3,000 bail for each of the accused plus $500 for each additional count.
According to Assistant Attorney General Marvin Williams, the suspects were ordered to turn over their passports as well as to refrain from roaming around the streets of Garapan.
The suspects were also asked to stay inside the establishments where they work from 8:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.
The 10 women and six men were rounded up around 8:00 p.m. when a combined team from he Departments of Labor and Immigration and Public Safety swooped down on 10 establishments suspected to be fronts for flesh trade.
It was the first crackdown carried out by authorities this year as part of the government’s campaign to curb the proliferation of prostitution on the island.
Three similar operations were conducted in 1999 after tourism officials complained of what they described as blatant solicitation by men and women promoting sex for money, a situation officials feared would hurt the image of the Northern Marianas as a wholesome destination.
Dubbed as Red Light IV, Maj. Clyde Norita, chief of the Office for Special Services, said the operation was a product of three weeks of planning and undercover work.
Most of the establishments included in the raid are located in the side streets away from the main hotel street. Many of the women working in the clubs are now selling Viagra, a pill that improves men’s sexual function.
The Marianas Visitors Authority and the Japan-Saipan Travel Association provided assistance with some of the Japanese tour operators posing as customers or tourists to help gather the needed information.
Seven staff from the Immigration Division’s Investigation Unit led by Capt. Ed Cabrera joined the raiding team as they inspected the work permit and immigration papers of those arrested.
