23 arrested in Central Coast prostitution sting

September 7, 2013

Officers from San Luis Obispo, Pismo Beach and Arroyo Grande police departments arrested 23 people during a three-night prostitution sting.

Police investigators placed advertisements on the internet for prostitution services to be conducted in local hotel rooms. Suspects then contacted the “prostitute,” who was actually an undercover agent. When the “John” arrived at the hotel and exchanged money for agreed upon services, undercover agents would arrest the alleged “John.”

Police also had an undercover male officer who would respond to online ads for prostitution, ask the poster to meet him in his hotel room, and when money was exchanged for the agreed upon services, the alleged prostitute was arrested.

On September 3 in Arroyo Grande, the following people were arrested:

John Franta, 51, of Grover Beach, on a charge of solicitation of prostitution

Michael Armijo, 21, of Arroyo Grande, on a charge of solicitation of prostitution

Kristina Lara, 27, of Reno, NV, on a charge of prostitution and for a warrant

Dorothy Houlden, 24, of Reno, NV, on a charge of prostitution

On September 4 in Pismo Beach, the following people were arrested:

Michael Hartman, 60, of Atascadero, on a charge of solicitation of prostitution

Julio Lopez, 34, of Santa Maria, on a charge of solicitation of prostitution

Mark Anderson, 61, of San Luis Obispo, on a charge of solicitation of prostitution

Shukla Bhargav, 27, of Paso Robles, on a charge of solicitation of prostitution

Kevin Huber, 54, of San Luis Obispo, on a charge of solicitation of prostitution

Bonnie Key, 54, of Nipomo, on charges of prostitution and possession of cocaine

Kimberly Romero, 27, of Bakersfield, on a charge of prostitution

On September 5 in San Luis Obispo, the following people were arrested:

Spencer Napier, 21, of Arroyo Grande, on a charge of possession of narcotics for sale

Ethan McCallum, 22, of Oceano, on a charge of solicitation of prostitution

Jose Velasco, 26, of Delano, on a charge of solicitation of prostitution

Jose Leon, 25, of Morro Bay, on a charge of solicitation of prostitution

Andrew Cochran, 48, of Santa Maria, on a charge of solicitation of prostitution

Joseph Goldberg, 54, of Nipomo, on a charge of solicitation of prostitution

Diana Rocha, 49, of Pismo Beach, on a charge of prostitution

Jerrica Dhaliwal, 25, of Antioch, on a charge of prostitution

Charlene Dhaliwal, 26, of Antioch, on a charge of prostitution

Nicole Dowling, 26, of Porterville, on a charge of prostitution

Nadie Estrada-Bamber, 20, of Sacramento, on a charge of prostitution

Tara Logan, 36, of San Luis Obispo, on charges of prostitution and possession of drug paraphernalia

Prostitution and the solicitation of prostitution are misdemeanor crimes.

Police said they conducted the three-night operation to dissuade prostitutes and their clients from doing business in the area and to bring the public’s attention to the hazards of prostitution.