359 arrested in "National Day of Johns Arrests”

Published: 31 July 2013

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Federal and local law enforcement agencies targeted sex-purchasers, or "johns," and pimps in the sixth National Day of Johns Arrests, according to Fox News Chicago. Police made 323 sex solicitation arrests and 36 sex trafficking or pimping arrests, including 7 juvenile sex trafficking arrests over 21 days of sting operations that ran from July 7 until July 28.

According to a release by the Cook County Sheriff's Department police recovered seven trafficking victims. Those arrested face a total of $123,060 in minimum fines and penalties. Police also charged 17 suspects with possession or delivery of drugs and seized 11 firearms and $6,842 in cash. 

The Minneapolis Police Department arrested 53 johns, the most of any jurisdiction, including Canadian regional legislator Michael Trent Allen.

Founded by the Cook Country (IL) Sheriff's Department the campaign has grown to encompass 36 agencies including the FBI and law enforcement from 17 states. The National Day of Johns Arrests has led to over 1,500 arrests over six years, according to the anti-illegal prostitution organization Demand Abolition.

"These women have been brutalized and taken advantage of - and the most effective way to deter these heinous crimes is to target the demand," said Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart.

The Cook County website is expected to release a summary by the end of the week.