RPD NEWS RELEASE
Yesterday members from the Regional Street Enforcement Team conducted a prostitution operation in downtown Reno. The focus of the operation was to target the customers of prostitution. Two undercover female officers posing as prostitutes walked on streets in the downtown Reno area.
During the operation, which lasted approximately five and half hours, 10 men solicited the undercover officers for sex in exchange for money. All 10 men were contacted and qualified to receive citations for the violation of solicitation for prostitution. The men cited during this operation are identified as:
Irving Swatzburg, 70-year-old Reno resident
Josue Gomez, 40-year-old Sparks resident
Dorian Laviene, 39-year-old Reno resident
Victor Camarena-Martinez, 52-year-old Sparks resident
Jeffrey Neilson, 55-year-old Reno resident
Danny Smith, 19-year-old Reno resident
Reza Abolghasemi, 67-year-old Reno resident
Francisco Murillo-Rivera, 40-year-old Reno resident
Shantanu Kar, 50-year-old Fernley resident
Rigoberto Martinez-Rivera, 24-year-old Sparks resident
The predesignated bail/fine for solicitation for prostitution is $500.00. Individuals cited/arrested for solicitation for prostitution are also required to submit to blood testing for sexually transmitted diseases.
The Regional Street Enforcement Team will continue to conduct operations in areas known for prostitution transactions and will continue to target the customers of prostitution. The Regional Street Enforcement Team believes impacting prostitution begins with an aggressive campaign against the demand for illegal prostitution, which will equate to a reduced number of females soliciting for prostitution in our community.
Often the females who engage in prostitution are introduced at a young age and are often being exploited or trafficked by an individual. Although statistics vary from study to study, researchers believe the average age of a female trafficked and introduced to prostitution is 12-14 years of age. The Regional Street Enforcement Team has recovered several sex trafficking victims between the ages of 12-14 here in Reno in the past several years.
The Regional Street Enforcement Team would like to remind residents and visitors to our community that all forms of prostitution is illegal in Reno/Sparks/Washoe County. Prostitution, outside of a licensed brothel, is illegal everywhere in Nevada.
The Regional Street Enforcement team comprises detectives from the Reno Police Department, Sparks Police Department and the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office.
Anyone having information relating to this crime or the suspect(s) should contact the Reno Police Department at 334-2115, Secret Witness at 322-4900 or www.secretwitness.com, or text the tip to 847411 (TIP 411) keyword – SW.
