Alleged Prostitute Arrested in Lexington

A sting operation Monday night resulted in the arrest of a transgender prostitute working out of the Quality Inn on Bedford Street, police spokesman Lt. Jim Barry confirmed today.

Lexington Police had set up surveillance at the following a report from a hotel employee that an unusually high volume of people were coming in and out of one room during the weekend.

A Lexington detective then located an ad for an escort service on backpage.com, and set up a date with the suspected prostitute just before 6 p.m Monday evening at the same Quality Inn, Barry said. 

The alleged prostitute, identified later as Lance A. Jackson, 23, of Detroit, took the detective up to a room where he offered the detective undisclosed sexual favors for $200, Barry said, before other Lexington Police detectives closed in and made the arrest.

Police also arrested a New York man they believe to be the prostitute's security escort, Bronx resident Charles Akeem Salley, who is also 23. Salley was hiding in either the hotel room's closet or bathroom during the exchange, Barry said.

Prostitution is pretty rare in Lexington, Barry said, though Monday's arrest marks the second time in two months that Lexington Police have pinched a prostitute.

On June 8, police after a similar undercover sting found that the woman was offering sex to go along with sensual massages.

"This is not the type of community with streetwalkers," Barry said. "This is a transient type of activity where they try to keep on the move to try to prevent what we just did."

Salley and Jackson spent Monday night in a police cell, and were arraigned in court on Tuesday morning, Barry said.