Welcome, Mickey. Manage MyDisney Account. Log Out. Weather Alert Winter Weather Advisory. Weather 7-Day Forecast. I-Team Investigates. Live Updates Madigan Trial. They stand in doorways or in windows. A smile and wave greets those passing by. This isn't the red light district in Amsterdam, famous for legalized prostitution; this is West Central Fresno, a place where blocks of rooms are filled with women ready to meet your every need.
Linda Avila sees it every day. She works right across the street from one of the busier motels. Action News spent four weeks watching and recording sex for sale out in the open along Olive and Parkway Drive. The busiest times are during the lunch hour and after work. Monique Peters says the problem is obvious just driving through the areas notorious for prostitution. Fresno Police say using motel room windows as storefronts is becoming the trendy way of conducting business.
It's more lucrative than walking the streets and it's much safer. It's a one stop shop for customers. Plus, moving men through is fast. This man stayed just five minutes. We timed him. The brothel type atmosphere has really grown in popularity over the past several months ever since Fresno Police did a major crackdown.
They handed out a record number of tickets to prostitutes, johns and pimps. Some men try to be more discreet, parking nearby and walking over. We confronted the manager at the Parkside Inn to see what he knows about the apparent prostitution operation here. Sontaya asks, "What do you think about all the men that come here and just drive around repeatedly? You've never noticed that? I cannot see all the time. Like when I'm inside, I cannot see this way.
Of the plus citations written in , 13 were written to juveniles under Several were year-old girls. Last week police showed up with more undercover officers and more tickets in hand. No juveniles were nabbed this time. But a 21 year old was taken to jail after police say she offered sex to a plain clothes officer. She's been arrested for prostitution in the past and as terms of her probation was not supposed to be in this area.
