Florida man biking in French maid outfit among 95 arrested in prostitution sting

Stephanie Araujo was arrested by undercover investigators with the Polk County, Fla., Sheriff's Office or Lakeland, Fla., Police Department during a five-day prostitution investigation that ended Dec. 13, 2015. The investigation targeted online advertising for prostitution services. less Stephanie Araujo was arrested by undercover investigators with the Polk County, Fla., Sheriff's Office or Lakeland, Fla., Police Department during a five-day prostitution investigation that ended Dec. 13, 2015. ... more Photo: Polk County, Fla., Sheriff's Office Photo: Polk County, Fla., Sheriff's Office Image 1 of / 137 Caption Close Florida man biking in French maid outfit among 95 arrested in prostitution sting 1 / 137 Back to Gallery







Nothing highlights human foibles quite like a prostitution sting.

In a five-day undercover investigation that ended Sunday, authorities in Polk County, Fla., arrested 95 people on an assortment of misdemeanor and felony charges.

The sting -- termed "Operation Naughty Not Nice" -- was carried out by the Polk County, Fla., Sheriff's Office and the Lakeland, Fla., Police Department. Lakeland is mid-way down the Florida peninsula, about 35 miles east of Tampa.

The two departments focused on online ads for prostitution services. Some of the ads were fake, posted by undercover officers.

Photo: Inform David Marsh was arrested by undercover investigators with the Polk...

Among those arrested was David Marsh, 68, of Lakeland, Fla., who allegedly solicited an undercover female detective to "dominate" him. Officials said he rode a bicycle to the arranged meeting site in a French maid outfit and chastity belt under his clothes.

Marsh, who told detectives he works at a home improvement store, was charged with soliciting prostitution. He arrived by bicycle because he had allegedly lost his drivers license after being charged with drunken driving, police said.

At 68, Marsh was the oldest person arrested; the youngest was a 15-year-old girl charged with prostitution.

Of the 95 arrested, 50 were charged with prostitution, 33 alleged "johns" were charged with soliciting prostitution and 12 were charged with various other offenses, including drug possession, carrying a concealed firearm, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and using a two-way device to commit a felony.

Those arrested included two sets of identical twins who arrived together, Cathleen and Christine Fricke, 38, of Tampa, who had multiple previous arrests, and Amber and Ashleigh Wright, 26, of South Carolina. The Wrights told police they were escorts in South Carolina and just drove to Florida that day. Neither had a criminal history, police said.

Kimberly Fitch, 33, of Lakeland, was driven to the meeting place by her boyfriend, Allen Hicks, 31, of Tampa, with their 2-year-old son in the car.

Hicks stayed in the car with the child but was charged with various other offenses, including possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, police said. Hicks told police he worked security at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.

Among them, the 95 suspects had a total of 205 previous felony arrests and 399 previous misdemeanor charges, police said.