11 men arrested in Springfield prostitution sting

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - Springfield police have announced the arrest of 11 alleged “johns” following a prostitution sting operation in the city’s South End.

Police Sgt. John Delaney told 22News that on Thursday afternoon, an undercover woman detective posed as a prostitute at the corner of Locust Street and Palmer Avenue. Between 2:00 P.M. and 4:00 P.M., eleven men approached her, offering money or drugs in exchange for sex, Delaney says.

The men arrested are:

• Luis Lopez, 18, of an unknown address
• Anthony Carter, 45, of Springfield
• Yohanes Tesfamariam, 32, of Springfield
• Ralph Forbes, 63, of Springfield
• Leslie Graham, 54, of Amherst
• Luis Santiago, 39, of Springfield
• Moises Pagan, 22, of Springfield
• Joseph Liberti, 30, of Springfield
• Juan Cruz, 25, of Springfield
• Donald Lamore, 45, of Indian Orchard
• Ernesto Reyes, 17, of Springfield

All suspects are charged with sexual conduct for a fee. Reyes faces additional drug charges, as Delaney says he gave the undercover detective a rock of crack cocaine and promised her more after she performed services.

After Reyes was arrested, Delaney says officers found an additional 35 bags of crack cocaine in the suspect’s underwear.

Carter faces marijuana charges after officers allegedly found that he was carrying several bags of pot, along with more than $150 in cash. Delaney says that Carter had told the detective that he could only pay her $23 for her services because he needed $2 for a bus ride home.