VERO BEACH — Four men have been arrested, accused of offering money for sex acts to someone they thought was a prostitute but turned out to be an undercover deputy. The Indian River County Sheriff’s Office conducted a sting operation in the area of the 3300 block of US 1, just north of Aviation Boulevard on Wednesday afternoon.
One man was arrested at 1 p.m., another at 3:30 p.m., and two at 5:45 p.m., according to records released by the Sheriff’s Office.
Each man faces one misdemeanor charge of solicitation of prostitution.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, around 1 p.m., a 42-year-old man, of Vero Beach, drove by the undercover deputy, honked his horn and then made contact. He requested a sex act for $20 and showed the deputy the cash, at which time she signaled to a patrol unit sitting in wait.
The man told authorities after his arrest that “he would never do it again,” the report states. He has since been released from the jail.
At about 3:30 p.m., a 51-year-old man, of Vero Beach, drove a green and silver van by the undercover deputy twice before honking his horn and making contact. According to the Sheriff’s Office, he had a short conversation with the woman before he asked if she was working, to which she replied by asking him what he wanted.
He said, “whatever,” the report states, then requested a sex act for $10 and asked how much more for sex. She told him another $10.
The deputy then signaled and the man was detained, telling authorities that, yes he made contact, but he was “just kidding,” the report states.
He has since been released from jail.
The last of the arrests occurred around 5:45 p.m. Wednesday when two men in the same vehicle pulled up to the deputy and requested sex for $40. The undercover deputy pointed to a motel room nearby and both men got out of the vehicle and made their way to the room.
The men, a 31-year-old from Texas, and a 44-year-old of Vero Beach, were arrested and taken to the county jail, where they have since been released.
