SAN ANTONIO- Prostitutes, johns, and pimps who have been working and lurking just south of downtown in the South Presa and Roosevelt Avenue area have had their world shaken up for the past month. Police conducted undercover operations.
Complaints from people living and working in the Southside neighborhood led to the crackdown. Now after a month they said the police work is paying off.
Victoria Falco, who lives in the area explained,” Yeah there's been a difference, we don't really see them. We've been out at night and there's not a lot, of course still people are going to do it anyway, but there's not as many there used to be”.
Falco and her boyfriend have seen cars drive slowly down the street and women jump in. She said the daily activity has slowed down with a greater police presence. Sixteen people were arrested this past month during the undercover operation.
“We had undercover officers posing as prostitutes and then we were arresting these individuals that were coming out trying to solicit them for sex,” explained Matt Porter, spokesperson for the San Antonio Police Department.
Hector Rodriguez who has run his business, Che’s Chicken & Burgers on South Presa for 13 years has also seen the prostitutes and johns. And while he is glad the activity has recently slowed down he said it won't last.
Rodriguez said, “It's usually a temporary thing that it slows down for awhile when I guess the cops get tough on them and then it starts all over again”.
Just west of the area residents living and working near Guadalupe Street have also seen their neighborhood plagued.
According to Westside resident Amanda Uvalle, “The cars they come by a lot and they just slow down and then the other day they confused me as a prostitute because I was talking to my mom”.
Police said their undercover operation was such a success that they plan to now target other areas including Guadalupe Street.
