Internet Aids Police In Prostitution Bust

Following a recent prostitution bust at a Columbia Pike motel last week, Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck says the Internet deserves part of the credit.

"A lot of the prostitutes are using online solicitation sites to gain clients, which is providing police with exact locations and contact information," Sternbeck said.

Sites like Craigslist and Backpage, which is an online solicitation site, allow prostitutes to post pictures, phone numbers and other personal information for their clients, Sternbeck said.

On Thursday, Arlington County Police arrested Carmen Ponce, 30, of Manassas; Sarah Jones, 20, of no fixed address; Zhiwei Jiao, 48, of no fixed address; and Leslie Celenia Torres Elvir, 24, of Oxon Hill, Md., from a motel on the 3000 block of South Columbia Pike. All were charged with prostitution. Jones and Jiao were also charged with "keeping a bawdy place." Elvir was also charged "with receiving money from earnings of prostitution and using a vehicle to promote prostitution."

Nurgazy Ibraimov, 19, of Arlington; Gilbert Bowen, 70, of Bethesda, Md.; Julian Pedro Vicente Paxtor, 38, of Falls Church; Michael Surber, unknown age, of unknown address; and Jason Gooljar, 33, of Arlington, were charged with soliciting a prostitute from the same motel.

These aren't the only prostitution-related arrests Arlington County Police have recently made.

On Tuesday, police arrested Arlington resident Sherry Taylor, 38, near the 5000 block of South Columbia Pike after

Sternbeck said several factors contribute to the existence of prostitution in the county, including location, proximity to a large city, urban areas, and proximity to a metro station.

"There are so many different factors that weigh in," he said. "I wouldn't necessarily say it was a bigger problem in Arlington than in other jurisdictions."