PORTLAND, Maine — Portland police on Wednesday arrested four men from southern Maine and charged them with engaging a prostitution during an operation targeting, in part, human trafficking.
Jason T. Rickett, 31, and Nicholas G. St. Amand, 29, both of Gorham, Jack L. Chase, 50, of Buxton, and Andrew M. Woody, 50, of Westbrook each face a Class E misdemeanor charge of engaging a prostitute, according to a release from Portland Police Lt. James Sweatt.
The men allegedly responded to an advertisement on the website Backpage.com.
Chase was also charged with misdemeanor assault after he allegedly assaulted an undercover police officer posing as a prostitute. She was not injured.
The daylong operation, which took place at a hotel in the greater Portland area, was conducted by the Portland Police Department Crime Reduction Unit, and targeted the demand for prostitution and human trafficking.
“The meaning of demand is the ‘john’ or patron in the sex for money scheme,” Sweatt said. “It is widely recognized johns are the driving force in human trafficking, supplying the money that drives this illegal industry. The Internet is a primary gateway for johns to purchase sex. This operation targeted those who use the Internet to purchase sex.”
Sweatt declined to release additional information about the operation or the arrests.
If convicted of engaging a prostitute, each man faces a maximum sentence of six months and a maximum fine of $1,000.