FREEPORT, Maine — Eleven men were arrested Thursday by Freeport police for allegedly engaging a prostitute.
Freeport police, working with neighboring police agencies, conducted an undercover ‘John’ operation at a hotel on Route 1 on Thursday. The operation targeted customers of prostitution.
Arrested during the operation were Gerard Bowers, 53, of West Poland; Claude Cotnoir, 59, of Oxford; Hady El Ahmar, 42, of Berwick; Brian Jones, 48, of Augusta; Christopher Lavalley, 31, of Lisbon Falls; Peter Light, 47, of South Portland; Leonard Merrill, 60, of Durham; William Policano, 28, of Windham; Baron Rogers, 60, of Hampton, Virginia; Milan Simanic, 31, of Portland and John Verreault, 55, of Saco.
Freeport police remind that public police departments in greater Portland are actively targeting potential customers of prostitution, and they will be arrested if they engage a prostitute. Engaging in prostitution and engaging a prostitute are both crimes according to Maine law.
Update: Charges against Peter Light were later dismissed as a result of a deferred disposition, according to documents filed in Cumberland County court.