Police make arrests in undercover prostitution sting

SANFORD, Fla.,None — The Sanford Police Department busted seven men in a prostitution sting Saturday in Seminole County.

The bust came after WFTV recently exposed the growing prostitution problem in Sanford. WFTV found out that there have been nearly 400 solicitation or prostitution calls this year. After residents complained, the police departments from Sanford and Oviedo organized the sting.

Each agency uses an undercover officer posing as a prostitute along U.S. 17-92. After someone offers the undercover officer something in exchange for sex she gives the nearby team a signal so they can move in.

Edward Brown was one of the men arrested for trying to pick up a prostitute. WFTV was there as he was arrested Saturday.

"I did not do anything wrong," Brown said, as he was handcuffed and put in the back of a police car.

Brown would not answer any of WFTV’s questions, including if the condoms the police found in his motorcycle were for the prostitute.

Police said they hope that this prostitution sting shows that they are taking the prostitution problem seriously.

"The message is, if you come to Sanford you are probably going to get arrested and have your picture all over the TV and be rather embarrassed," said Sergeant David Morgenstern of the Sanford Police Department.

Sanford police said it has one more sting planned for next weekend.

WFTV