SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – The Springfield police arrested nine individuals after an “Anti-John” undercover prostitution operation that was conducted on Tuesday.
The following were arrested and charged with “Pay for Sexual Conduct” in less than a five-hour span from the South End neighborhood:
- Jonathan Claudio (36) of West Springfield
- Modesto Medina (42) of West Springfield
- Clyde Robinson (59) of Springfield
- Mario Fontanez (35) of Springfield
- Miguel Morales (48) of Holyoke
- Santo Quezada-Gonzalez (39)
- Louis Sorrentino (69) of East Windsor, Connecticut
- Chandra Bhattarai (35) of West Springfield
- Robert Bernier (38) of West Springfield
The “Anti-John” operation was conducted due to neighborhood complaints and quality of life issues in the city’s South End neighborhood and is aimed to deter the solicitation of prostitution and related drug activity connected to it. Thirty-four “John’s” soliciting prostitution have been arrested in the last few months in similar operations.
The operation was conducted by members of the Springfield Police Firearms Investigation Unit, Massachusetts State Police High-Risk Victim Unit, Massachusetts State Police Hampden County Detective Unit, Massachusetts State Police CINRET West, and Hampden County Sheriff’s Department.
