413047-Underground-Commercial-Sex-Economy

Street/Internet-based pimps are networked with one another, but similar to what was reported in other
cities, they operate in more of a social network, rather than an organized criminal network. While there
may be some pimps who were former gang members, gang-operated street or Internet-facilitated sex
trafficking has not been found in DC (as discussed below, they have been associated with DC’s Latino
brothels.) However, many of the street/Internet-based pimps that DC law enforcement has investigated
may be past or current drug dealers. One official surmised that this was due to lesser penalties associated
with sex trafficking, leading former drug dealers to transition to the sex market because they view it as
less risky:
Not so much the gangs but maybe a gang member … They know that drugs are going to
get them sent to jail, but they will do prostitution because they really won’t get locked up
for pimping girls out. It is the same thing if you look at it. Drugs, sex, sex is a drug, so,
“Hey, I am still providing something and getting money but my chances of going to jail
have diminished.” (DC Law Enforcement Official)
Despite street pimps not operating as a form of organized crime, law enforcement reported uncovering
phone records that reveal pimps are in communication with one another. They also uncovered Internet
records illustrating how pimps share information about law enforcement activity and whether certain
cities are good markets for the UCSE. Various law enforcement officials described the DC area as a
popular stop due to the demand and the amount of money that could be made relative to other areas:
Respondent 1: This [DC] is the place. This is where you want to be.
Respondent 2: They [other pimps] come from California, Nevada, Texas, and Miami …
Respondent 3: A young lady, we had this juvenile years back, and this young lady was at
a truck stop in Pennsylvania and could charge $100 for oral sex but she could come to DC
and [make] $150. So, DC is one of the biggest places on the track because of the money.
You have DC and Virginia where most of the johns [buyers] are … the majority of them
are from outside the District of Columbia. They come into DC to purchase sex. So that is
where you have that money coming in. You have the federal workers, industry workers,
construction workers, not necessarily labor but your regular construction …
Respondent 2: Everybody. It does not matter.
Respondent 4: We have arrested all walks of life, from the homeless guy to the
executive. (DC Law Enforcement Officials)
DC law enforcement described how most pimps follow a code which is comprised of rules governing pimp
culture. When asked if it was common for pimps to sell or trade women and minors to other pimps, one
official responded:
That is also a yes and no answer. It is not in the rules of the game. If the girl is out of
pocket or she shows up, he has an option to put a charge on a girl. He can call the pimp
and say, “I really do not want this girl, she seems a little too crazy, you can have her back
for $500.” Sometimes the pimp will agree and pay the $500 or they will say, “Tough, she
is your problem now, but I want her earrings.” There is always that code. (DC Law
Enforcement Official)
Similarly, a DC prosecutor described how women and girls may be traded or sold between pimps. The
prosecutor also described how the relationships between pimps and the women who work for them may
be similar to domestic violence situations in that the women may continue in abusive relationships with
pimps due to emotional ties with their exploiters:
There’s a written rule that if a girl chooses up, well when the girl chooses up with a pimp,
oftentimes she has to pay, but sometimes you’ll hear that the pimp will pay the other
pimp some sort of finder’s fee. That’s certainly part of the code that these guys follow out
there. Again, to the extent that they’re interconnected, they’re all following these rules
and all working together on the track, but they’re really just kind of independent
entrepreneurs who are really selling one to any handful of women. From my experience,
you have some guys who are sort of really violent, really dangerous that they call them
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