YOU READ IT HERE FIRST: A prostitution sweep along the Route 46 corridor netted South Hackensack police 14 arrests.
Undercover detectives answered online ads, among other strategies, in making the arrests at an area motel, Capt. Robert Kaiser told CLIFFVIEW PILOT this afternoon.
One man — identified as 25-year-old Eric Gonzales of Jersey City — fought with police while being taken into custody on crack distribution, Kaiser said. He was being held on $50,000 bail in the Bergen County Jail, charged with selling crack, resisting arrest and assaulting police.
Three others were jailed with bail.
Eric Gonzales, Joji Sai, Maria Jorge-Lopez (MUGSHOTS: Courtesy SOUTH HACKENSACK PD)
The rest were released on summonses to appear in Municipal Court.
The operation began around 5 p.m. Tuesday and ended around 2 a.m. Wednesday, Kaiser said.
Posing as clients, undercover officers arranged appointments with hookers, with quotes as high as $300 an hour, the captain said.
After the officers asked about buying drugs, the defendants summoned dealers, he said.
Detectives seized drugs and $2,500 in alleged proceeds.
Those charged:
Joji Sai 31, Leonia: Promoting prostitution, released;
Maria Jorge-Lopez, 32, Lodi: Drug paraphernalia possession, released
Jessica Paget 24, Jersey City: Prostitution; possession w/ intent to distribute heroin/cocaine, $25,000 bail;
Timmy Rivera 30, Bayonne: Promoting prostitution, possession w/ intent to distribute cocaine $25,000 bail;
Heather Homan 37, Jamesburg: Prostitution, heroin possession, $2,500 bail;
Jin Chen 43, Flushing: Prostitution, released;
Liang Zhang 31, Elmhurst: Promoting prostitution, released;
Peggy Jorgensen 34, Elizabeth: Loitering in a drug area to sell narcotics, released;
Joshua Dixon 22, Paterson: Prostitution, possession of drug paraphernalia;
Brielle Inestroza 22, Newark: Prostitution, released
Ivette Amarante-Camacho, 24, Queens: Prostitution, released;
Fatima Ventura 37, College Point: Prostitution, released;
Yuping Sheng 45, NY: Prostitution, released.
MUGSHOTS: Courtesy SOUTH HACKENSACK PD