Police Crack Down on Prostitution in Flint, Michigan

In the state of Michigan, first time offending prostitution persons serve only 93 days in jail and a fine of $500. The sentencing then increases from there. Flint, Michigan has several areas currently being watched by Flint City police after calls of complaints have been made of prostitutes walking the streets around homes. The suspects who are usually women roam commonly down Dort Highway and off Fenton Rd after dark in various weather conditions.

One woman is about to face charges for her third offense for illegally selling sex on the street.

Police have been carefully watching the area around Fenton Rd between Atherton Rd and Twelfth St. Within the last two weeks, a handful of complaints have been called in to the Flint City Police Department reporting drug usage and sexual acts performed behind abandoned buildings in the area.

Officer Macomb of the Flint City police has been driving past the areas on his shift, hoping to catch one or more of the four distinct prostitutes who walk the streets week after week when they need to make money for their drug abuse. He has had no luck finding any of them.

Until last night. While on duty, Officer Macomb took a dangerous route and paired up with another Flint City officer. Macomb would then disguise himself as an average every day man walking down the street. His partner, Officer Duval, dropped him off down the road where he would then begin his patrol down Fenton Rd. Upon arriving at Fenton Rd. and Twelfth St., Macomb was approached by a woman asking if he had a light for her cigarette. He happened to have one in his jeans pocket. Lucky for him because the woman who had approached him striked up a conversation, hinting that she would like to show him "how appreciated he was for stopping" as Macomb said.

"She asked me for a lighter. I had one in my pocket. Then she started to say she was grateful I stopped for her and that she would like to show me her appreciation," Officer Macomb said.

"It was then I knew I was about to be able to stop her from continuing on doing this."

A few more moments later, he had walked with the woman around the corner to a hidden spot behind two older buildings. The area was not easily seen by passing drivers, let alone a cop just driving by. It was there the woman proposed him for sex and bluntly stating she needed $200 to fix her car.

Macomb then pulled his badge out from his behind pocket of his jeans and showed the woman he was an undercover cop. He proceeded to arrest the woman and called his partner from around the corner to help him with the handcuffed woman.

Sarah Jennings has been convicted of illegal sex acts in the past. This time however would be her third time visiting the county jail. Locked up for the night, she was fined and ticketed with a court date for later this month. In the state of Michigan, a third time offender can face up to two years of imprisonment and a fine up to $2,000. Three times also makes the conviction a felony.

The police department has become more involved over the past months as crime has been taken seriously in a seriously deprived area of Michigan in efforts to bring beauty and peace back to the city.

"We have arrested serveral people for vandalism and robbery. We've been working on prostitution and drug acts more recently," Macomb stated.