By Roger Knox - Vernon Morning Star - June 24, 2008
Sex trade workers and those who seek their services were the targets of the latest RCMP operation. The sting, conducted Friday and Saturday in Vernon and Enderby, resulted in the arrest of 10 people. “On Friday (June 20), four females were arrested for communication for the purpose of prostitution,” said RCMP spokesman Gord Molendyk. “Three of the four females were, at the time of their arrest, in the area of the Upper Room Mission. The fourth was in the downtown core. “On Saturday, six males were arrested for soliciting an undercover police officer for sexual services in exchange for money.” Four of those arrests were in the downtown Vernon area, the other two were in Enderby. All of the accused have been released with future court dates. The females arrested near the Upper Room Mission were released on conditions not to attend the red zone around that area, or else they’d be arrested again.
The males could face criminal charges, however, if they attend what’s called “john school,” operated by the John Howard Society, they could get off with a conditional sentence. A person given the option of going to john school means they pay a $500 fee and have to pass the course in order to not be charged with an offence. The other alternative is going to court to face the charges. Molendyk said he wasn’t 100 per cent sure if some kind of program aimed at assisting the women get out of the sex trade was in place. More stings could happen, as Insp. Steve McVarnock has said that certain illegal activities will not be tolerated in the community, and such stings go a long way towards curbing the illegal activity.
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