Prostitution sting nets 74-year-old

CLEARWATER - Police say a 74-year-old man, and nine others, started the weekend by looking for a prostitute on the streets of Clearwater.

John Carey was the first person arrested on charges of soliciting prostitution in the Clearwater Police Department’s reverse prostitution sting, which targets those who offer to pay for a prostitute’s services instead of those selling services. In the sting, officers acted like decoys, a news release states.

Police say they conducted the string from 3 p.m. on Friday to 1 a.m. on Saturday, with officers in several locations in the East Gateway area. In addition to the 10 charges of soliciting prostitution, which is a misdemeanor, there was one charge of obstruction, one count of not having a driver’s license, two warrants and six vehicles impounded.

Carey has since been released on $150 bond, according to arrest records.

The other suspects ranged in age from 22 to 62. A news release names them as Robert Collins, Jose Gomez, Mayo Gonzalez-Flores, Ronald Oldani, Jose Quezada-Espiritu, Mariano Rodriguez-Martinez, John Rudman and Delfino Panzo.