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St. Pete Area Prostitution Sting Yields Five Arrests

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By CARLOS MONCADA | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 3, 2007

LEALMAN - Authorities arrested five people during a prostitution sting at 50th Ave. N. and 34th St. on Friday.

The arrests were made between 11 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. as part of a six-week enforcement initiative in the unincorporated area north of St. Petersburg, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.

The suspects were identified as Isidro M. Gutierrez, 33, of Clearwater; Robert A. Parker, 29, of Spring Hill; Ernest Bell Jr., 52, of St. Petersburg; Manu L. Christian, 69, of St. Petersburg; and Riley Leonard, 45, of no known address. All were charged with solicitation of prostitution.

Gutierrez and Parker also were charged with driving with a suspended or revoked license, the sheriff's office said. Bell had an outstanding felony warrant for violation of probation, authorities said. A sixth person, Eric Latimore, 40, of no known address, was arrested for driving with a suspended or revoked license.

The crackdown was in response to escalating crime in the area, and follow-up enforcement efforts are planned, authorities said.

Reporter Carlos Moncada can be reached at (727) 451-2333 or cmoncada@tampatrib.com.

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