OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) – Oshkosh Police has arrested 20 people in connection with an undercover prostitution investigation.
Officer Joe Nichols says the department’s Vice and Narcotics Unit conducted multiple investigations over a three-day period this past week.
Six females and one male were arrested for prostitution while 13 male ‘johns’ were taken into custody for soliciting sex.
“These males were from Oshkosh, Appleton, Larsen, Eldorado, Milwaukee, Kaukauna, Rubicon, Bear Creek, Neenah, and then there was also one male from San Bruno, California.”
All of those arrested for prostitution were from Milwaukee.
Nichols notes officers encountered something particularly disturbing.
“One of those females that were arrested for prostitution had actually brought her three-month-old child to the location where she was arrested.”
Nichols says officers contacted Child Protective Services, who turned the child over to a relative.
He notes there were also additional stipulations to some of the other arrests.
“One of the females was also arrested for possession of an electronic weapon. In addition, one of these males arrested for solicitation of sex was also arrested for felon in possession of a firearm. There were several other drug arrests made.”
Nichols says two of the male ‘johns’ went to the Winnebago County Jail, while the remainder had referral arrests made against them to the Winnebago County District Attorney’s Office.
With the Vice and Narcotics Unit’s six-month anniversary coming up on July 31, Nichols updates its progress thus far.
“They’ve made close to 100 or just over 100 arrests, whether it’s for prostitution or solicitation of sex.”
Nichols says the department plans to conduct similar investigations in the future.
