Saturday, August 7, 2010

Prostitution sting in Elgin

Be sure to read the article in today's Daily Herald about Friday's night "reverse prostitution" sting in Elgin. You can find it at www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=399209

I don't like stings. My belief is that they often utilize entrapment and are illegal, where they are tobacco, alcohol or prostitution stings.

On Friday night Elgin's finest arrested 11 men. Elgin Police Lt. Glenn Theriault said, "The men approached them (several Elgin officers), offering $20 for sex."

Did he mean that each man individually approached an undercover officer and offered $20? Was the cop wearing a sign that said, "$20"?

I posted the following comment to the Daily Herald article: "Something smells here. I'd like to see the videotapes of the arrests, showing how the "prostitutes" were dressed; what gestures were used, if any; what words were exchanged; who suggested what; how the $20 was negotiated. Re-read the above sentence: "Out of the 11 men arrested on Friday night, 10 had motor vehicles and must pay $1,000 to retrieve them under a separate ordinance." No matter what happens in court, was the City of Elgin $10,000 richer Friday night? Looks like the charges will be heard by an Administrative Adjudication Court judge. Hopefully, all 11 will be smart enough, and rich enough, to get lawyers.

"Residents of every town and city should be outraged by the confiscation authority of police and the exorbitant, extortion-level fees they charge for vehicle impoundment."

Elgin, like too many other communities, has a cash cow loose on its streets. It can, under certain circumstances, confiscate your car and hold it for a huge ransom.

Call your city or town government now and ask what ordinances they have that allow such confiscation and how much the fines and costs are to retrieve a vehicle. Please post it below in comments.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Since you wont do the research here you go:
"In criminal law, entrapment is when a law enforcement agent induces a person to commit an offense that the person would otherwise have been unlikely to commit. However, there is no entrapment where a person is ready and willing to break the law and the Government agents merely provide what appears to be a favorable opportunity for the person to commit the crime."

You would be surprised what a little research can do before babbling your wits.

Gus said...

From the City of Woodstock: "The City has no ordinance that permits the confiscation of a vehicle that requires payment of an administrative fee to the City to retrieve the vehicle.

"Cars are towed when the situation dictates. In an arrest situation, the car may be towed. The owner is then responsible for paying the towing fees to the towing company to retrieve the vehicle."