via Chicago Tribune
Cook County sheriff’s police have arrested 76 men and women on prostitution-related charges in a sting involving the popular online classified site Craigslist.org.
Undercover officers posed as customers who made dates with women featured in “erotic services” ads on the site. Once an offer of sex for money was made, the woman was taken into custody, officials said.
In two cases, women meeting with clients at local hotels had rented separate rooms where they left their toddlers unattended. The Department of Children and Family Services was notified in both cases.
In addition to responding to ads, officers also posted their own bogus ads.
One indicated a 15-year-old was looking for sex in exchange for money, an offer that received three responses. One was traced to a registered sex offender who had previously been arrested by the sheriff’s department.
This is the fourth such operation the department has launched into illegal activities on the Web site in the last 18 months. Officers regularly monitor the “erotic services” section of the site, which Sheriff Tom Dart has called a “free advertising network for prostitutes and pimps.” Since January 2007, the stings have resulted in 149 arrests on charges ranging from prostitution, juvenile pimping and human trafficking, according to a news release.
Dart has called on Craigslist to remove the “erotic services” section of the site, but company officials have refused, the department said. Last week, the site posted a disclaimer stating that human trafficking and child exploitation would be reported to police. Dart called the measure a weak attempt to dissuade such activity.
STREET KNOWLEDGE 
The Tiger Woods scandal has brought up the following question why don’t
who give a fugg about prostituion? Oldest trade!! I’m all for arressting the child molester and human slaves mfers but why arrest regular hoes and johns. cATCH real criminals…
Phone verification was meant to cut down on things like this. Hasn’t really helped much has it.
I just finished reading a book called An Island Away. It’s all about the skin trade on the island of Aruba. Why would anyone bother with prostitution in a place where it is illegal when you can go to the Caribbean and have it legally?