By Robyn McGlohn - bio email. From brothels and street corners and now to the internet, the world's oldest profession has gone cyber. The men and women of Craigslist are selling more than just furniture and cars. They're also selling sex. WAFF 48 News created two separate ads under the casual encounters section.
We weren't selling sex per se, but it was pretty obvious there was more than just a massage involved. In the meantime McCarver's unit made their first Craigslist prostitution bust. Two women at the Motel 6 in Madison. Then just 3 days later, a third arrest was made at the Holiday Inn in Huntsville. Fighting the war against online prostitution is relatively new, but will surely soon become more involved.
It's just a matter of figuring out who's selling sex and who's actually selling a massage. Last week when we did this, we made countless phone calls to the phone numbers," he said. But what ended up happening, we're getting the same group over and over again, so there were multiple postings for a few prostitutes. Gann says law enforcement is just now catching up to internet crime and prostitution, especially in Alabama.
Recently, leaders in 40 states besides Alabama screamed for more regulation on Craigslist, and they got it. The "erotic" services section will soon be removed; however an adult services section has been added. A phone number is required to post there along with a credit card number. Plus it cost 10 bucks, with the website stating all proceeds are donated to charity. Craigslist promises they will be more diligent in monitoring all postings. This comes after the most recent scandal involving Phillip Markoff.
The year-old New York med student is suspected of killing a woman who posted an ad in the erotic services section of Craigslist. Now we know there is a problem," said Gann. Despite a few changes to Craigslist, the war on-line is just beginning for McCarver's team.
