Practitioners of the world’s oldest profession are just a mouse click away in cyberspace and then just around the corner in Killeen or Harker Heights or Copperas Cove.
Craigslist is a popular Internet site that features local classifieds and forums for more than 500 cities in 50-plus countries. The site is community moderated, and largely free.
Allanah and Ms. Love are just a few of the many women and men who advertise for what are called erotic services on the Craigslist Web site, and while many don’t specifically say they’re offering sex of some sort, they sometimes push the envelope.
For instance, Allanah, and her roommate Lucy, offer a host of unnamed services for prices that start at $100 per hour for just one woman and $200 for both.
“I am worthless if I am not pleasing you,” Allanah says in her advertisement.
A call to Lucy and Allanah began with an unusual ringtone - the aria “Ave Maria.”
When Lucy answered, she at first seemed eager to talk about what she and Allanah are up to.
However, she said that discretion was important in their line of work, and then she declined to elaborate.
“I don’t think a lot of people (know about these advertisements), and I think that is a good idea,” she said. “I think we want to keep it that way.”
Ms. Love, who listed rates on her Craigslist ad ranging from $80 to $180, declined to talk about her business.
“If you have seen my picture and you’ve seen my ad, then you should know all of that,” Ms. Love said before ending the conversation.
Law enforcement officers know, too, but they are stymied by a number of barriers.
Most of the ads, whether they are for women or men looking to sell sex or a full-fledged escort service, come with a disclaimer:
“Any money exchanged is for companionship and modeling services only. Anything else that may occur is a matter of choice between two consenting adults of legal age and is not contracted for, nor is it requested to be contracted for in any matter. This is not an offer of prostitution. Calling me constitutes acceptance of these terms.”
Bell County Attorney Richard Miller said that having the disclaimer at the bottom of the ad would not protect anyone who is found violating the law.
“You cannot waive enforcement of an illegal act,” he said.
And these ads aren’t illegal.
Miller, who prosecutes criminal misdemeanor cases, said it’s what happens later that can be questionable.
“On a lot of those ads, they don’t tell you they will do prostitution, but they don’t leave a lot to the imagination,” Miller said. “Only a moron would not think that is not what it’s for.”
Earlier this year, county law enforcement officers arrested several dancers at Babe’s in Nolanville, who were charged with prostitution.
However, Miller said that when it comes to venues like Craigslist, allegations of prostitution can be difficult, if not impossible to prove.
“They are on there and it is very clear what they are there for,” he said.
Miller said the ads are not specific enough to make them a solicitation.
The Craigslist Web site is monitored for salacious content by law enforcement agencies including the Temple and Killeen police departments.
Killeen Police Capt. Jackie Dunn said some of the sites are associated with escort services, which are not illegal.
However, some are for people who work independently, and all of those are being watched.
“We do monitor Craigslist,” Dunn said.
Temple Police spokesman Allen Teston said the department monitors the site, as well as others, but mostly to locate child predators.
“Those cases are very difficult to put together and to prosecute,” Teston said.
Craigslist began in the San Francisco Bay area as an e-mail list of local events in San Francisco. The site was created by Craig Newmark in early 1995.
