Bay Area prostitution sting nets more than 130

The San Francisco Chronicle reports:

More than 130 suspected pimps, prostitutes and their customers were arrested last week in the Bay Area during "Operation Strikeout," which was scheduled to coincide with the crowd-drawing festivities around Major League Baseball's All-Star Game in San Francisco, investigators said today.

At a press conference in Oakland, the FBI and several police agencies involved in the sting called the sexual exploitation of child prostitutes an epidemic in the Bay Area and countered what they said was a perception that prostitution is a victimless crime.

They said they arrested four girls under 18 -- including one who brought her 8-month-old child with her to work -- who will face charges but will be steered toward programs in an effort to help them.

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