A "quality of life" sweep along the Broadway corridor earlier this week resulted in 11 prostitution solicitation charges.
CAMDEN -- A "quality of life" sweep along the Broadway corridor earlier this week resulted in 11 prostitution solicitation charges lodged against South Jersey and Philadelphia men, according to the Camden County Police Department.
On Wednesday, Camden metro officers assisted by the Camden County Prosecutor's Office carried out the afternoon operation to address quality of life issues. In addition to the 11 arrests, several vehicles were towed from the scene, per a 2013 state law.
The men who were arrested were charged with soliciting a prostitute, which carries penalties that can include a fine of up to $1,000 and up to six months in jail.
"The suspects were issued a summons and those without outstanding warrants were released. Two suspects who were found to have outstanding warrants were remanded to the county jail," according to county police.
Late last month, Camden metro officers joined forced with city workers to clean up the area of Broadway near Mount Vernon Avenue.
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"It's the proverbial broken window," Camden County Police Chief Scott Thomson said at the time. "People feel less safe, and there's a slippery slope where more stuff like this starts to occur. That invites the illicit activities into the neighborhood."
As for the towed the vehicles, those who were arrested and drove to Broadway to allegedly solicit a prostitute were penalized by a state law crafted by then-New Jersey senator and current U.S. Rep. Donald Norcross and Assemblymen Gilbert "Whip" Wilson and Angel Fuentes.
"The law allows police to impound vehicles used in the purchase of drugs or to solicit or engage in prostitution," according to police.
Those arrested Wednesday were:
- Christopher Dunlap, 21, of Stratford
- Vincent Green, 25, of Camden
- Ralph Harding, 33, of Lindenwold
- Haleem Rainey, 25, of Pennsauken
- Eithel Pardo, 53, of Camden
- Adam Smutny, 40, of Burlington City
- Benedicto Franqui, 64, of Camden
- David Nicholson, 45, of Philadelphia
- James Scully, 28, of Blackwood
- Quenton Lewis, 37, of Camden
- Sydney Washington, 51, of Philadelphia
Greg Adomaitis may be reached at gadomaitis@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregAdomaitis. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.
