Seven Craigslist escorts arrested in Lynnwood hotel sting

LYNNWOOD -- Seven women selling sex through Craigslist were arrested Thursday in a Lynnwood hotel in a sting operation run by several local police agencies joined by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, FBI and U.S. Navy police.

The sweep was a response to complaints from hotel owners throughout Snohomish County, who are growing tired of their rooms being used for the sex trade, said Shannon Sessions, Lynwood Police spokeswoman.

The women ranged in age from 19 to 37. All were residents of Snohomish County. They were cited for solicitation.

Police responded to online ads posted by women seeking men through the erotic section of the free online classified advertising service, Sessions said.

The ads usually contain language or code words that tip off men to their ulterior motive, she said. "They have all kinds of ways to put it without raising red flags," she said.

The agencies likely will work together like this again in the future, she said.

Last November, Everett Police used the same tactic, trolling Craigslist for women and girls engaged in prostitution. The women agreed to meet the undercover officers for "dates" and were arrested when they met the officers at a hotel and asked for money in exchange for sex.