C.R. police target prostitutes’ customers in weekend sting

Police targeting prostitutes' would-be customers arrested three men Sunday afternoon in southeast Cedar Rapids.

The three were arrested in a sting operation that's part of an ongoing investigation, according to Police Sgt. Cristy Hamblin.

“We felt it was only fair that since we had arrested the prostitutes that we also look at the ‘johns,'” Hamblin wrote in an email.

Hamblin said the three men stopped an undercover officer and propositioned her, offering to pay for sex. Officers planned the sting operation based on complaints from neighbors and passers-by, she said.

Arrested and charged with prostitution were:

• John A. Siano, 53, of 1757 A Ave. NE, arrested at 4:05 p.m. in the 1300 block of Second Avenue SE.

• Henry L. Thomas, 36, of 1261 First Ave. SE, arrested 5:18 p.m. at the apartment building where he lives.

• Jermaine Yates, 37, of 1247 Fourth Ave. SE, arrested 6:40 p.m. in the 1300 block of Second Avenue SE.

All three men were released from jail after an initial appearance this morning.

Sunday's operation raises this year's total of prostitution arrests to 28, most in the neighborhood where the sting was conducted. There were 12 prostitution arrests in the city last year.