The Super Bowl has a way of drawing some negative attention wherever it goes, and this latest Super Bowl by the bay was no exception. Santa Clara police arrested or cited 30 suspects for allegedly soliciting prostitution and discovered over 40 possible human trafficking victims in the week leading up to Super Bowl 50, according to a report from a San Francisco-based TV station.
Authorities in the Bay Area were preparing for the spike in prostitution by stepping up its enforcement plans three weeks prior to the game. Over the course of the three weeks leading up to the Super Bowl, Santa Clara police found at least 42 potential human trafficking victims, 20 of which were put in contact with social workers. One prostitution sting caught Denver Broncos practice squad safety Ryan Murphy near a hotel in San Jose, although it was later determined he in fact committed no crime. Murphy was sent home by the eventual Super Bowl champion Broncos. Murphy was the only football player confirmed to have been connected to any of the stings in the bay area.
What is even more disturbing is the number of underage victims discovered. At least two of the 42 victims were reportedly under the age of 18; one 15-year old and another 17-year old. Not all the women involved in the sting were reported to be victims, however. Some racked up additional charges like resisting arrest or loitering with intent for prostitution.
[KRON]
