Prostitution sting in OKC nets 50 males, one an OKCPD Sgt

Last Updated on October 8, 2023, 7:24 AM | Published: October 8, 2023

OKLAHOMA CITY — In all, 50 were arrested in an operation this week meant to curb the activity of suspected “Johns” or males making offers of money for sex on the streets of Oklahoma City.

Wednesday and Thursday, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics Human Trafficking Unit coordinated with the Oklahoma City Police Department (OKCPD) to carry out a sting operation in an Oklahoma City neighborhood.

The operation was in response to residents’ complaints about prostitution activity in their neighborhood, sometimes in front of children playing in their yards.

Of the 50 males arrested, one was a juvenile.

In the process, police report that 48 vehicles were impounded, two firearms were located and seized along with a small quantity of narcotics.

Police Sgt. arrested

In the process, officers arrested a sergeant in the Oklahoma City Police Department who was booked on prostitution complaints into the Oklahoma County Jail.

Sgt. Jurden Brown, listed on the OKCPD website as the Police Community Relations officer for the Santa Fe Division, was placed on administrative leave with pay after his arrest.

Captain Valerie Littlejohn with the OKCPD told Free Press that Brown was not in uniform and was not in a city-owned vehicle at the time but “was still considered on duty at the time of his arrest.”

Littlejohn said that the criminal investigation will come first. Then once that is complete, the department will look into whether the officer should be placed on administrative leave without pay and possibly eventual firing which is a call the Chief makes.

‘Human trafficking’

But making the neighborhoods livable for the residents was not the only concern according to police.

“The important thing to know regarding prostitution is it is directly correlated with human trafficking,” OKCPD PIO Captain Valerie Littlejohn told Free Press.

“Cutting down on prostitution and targeting those individuals who are engaging in that criminal act is hopefully helping cut down in the human trafficking issue that we have going on right now,” said Littlejohn.

With the encouragement of the federal government, law enforcement agencies have shifted their approach on prostitution from arresting the prostitutes to focusing on the supply of money that prostitution rings are after. That means arresting the Johns.

At the same time, the women and children caught up in forced labor and even modern slavery are given assistance and a way to exit the life.

Entrapment?

Often, when John roundups occur, there are questions raised about whether police actions of placing female decoys on the street who look like possible prostitutes is a form of entrapment.

“The technical definition of entrapment is the act of tricking someone into committing a crime in order to secure their prosecution,” said Littlejohn.

Are their female officers doing that?

“We always get that when we have these types of operations,” said Littlejohn. “But these officers are trained and are very well versed in what they do. They know what is considered entrapment and what is not, and are able to make the arrest based solely on what elements of the crime are and not on entrapment.”

Oklahoma’s definition of prostitution

This is the Oklahoma state law definition of prostitution copied from the Oklahoma State Courts Network, 21 O.S. § 1030 (OSCN 2023):

---

As used in the Oklahoma Statutes, unless otherwise provided for by law:

1. “Prostitution” means:

a. the giving or receiving of the body for sexual intercourse, fellatio, cunnilingus, masturbation, anal intercourse or lewdness with any person not his or her spouse, in exchange for money or any other thing of value, or

b. the making of any appointment or engagement for sexual intercourse, fellatio, cunnilingus, masturbation, anal intercourse or lewdness with any person not his or her spouse, in exchange for money or any other thing of value;

2. “Child prostitution” means prostitution or lewdness as defined in this section with a person under eighteen (18) years of age, in exchange for money or any other thing of value;
3. “Anal intercourse” means contact between human beings of the genital organs of one and the anus of another;
4. “Cunnilingus” means any act of oral stimulation of the vulva or clitoris;
5. “Fellatio” means any act of oral stimulation of the penis;
6. “Lewdness” means:

a. any lascivious, lustful or licentious conduct,

b. the giving or receiving of the body for indiscriminate sexual intercourse, fellatio, cunnilingus, masturbation, anal intercourse, or lascivious, lustful or licentious conduct with any person not his or her spouse, or

c. any act in furtherance of such conduct or any appointment or engagement for prostitution; and

7. “Masturbation” means stimulation of the genital organs by manual or other bodily contact exclusive of sexual intercourse.

---