Stanton : Prostitution Law to Be Enforced in Two Weeks

Enforcement of the city’s new anti-prostitution ordinance should begin in two weeks, according to Stanton Police Chief Robert Eason. Unanimously approved by the Stanton City Council Tuesday, the emergency ordinance--which took effect Wednesday--restricts the number of times in a 24-hour period that a person may rent a motel room.

The ordinance, Eason says, is designed to curb prostitution, particularly at two Beach Boulevard motels, by allowing a person or group of people to rent a motel room only twice within a 24-hour period. Copies of guest registrations must also be maintained by motels for police inspection.

“We’ve had this problem off and on since 1980,” Eason said. “Within the last couple of months, there has been an unbelievable influx of prostitution and our biggest problem has been prostitutes renting rooms for $10 to $15 an hour.”

The Stanton Police Department has made 140 prostitution-related arrests within the last month, Eason said.

Under the new ordinance, he said, the “burden is on the motel owner. If he violates the ordinance, he’ll be guilty of a felony and we’ll close the place down.”