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3 arrested in possible teen prostitution, drug sting

FIFE, Wash. — Fife police said they discovered prostitution ads for a 15-year-old girl had been posted from a computer in a hotel room where three people were staying with the teen.

Officers said they were on patrol Wednesday when they approached a teenager in the 3400 block of Pacific Highway East for a pedestrian violation.

Police said the girl, who was high on drugs, was found to be 15 years old and had been away from her home in Marysville for five days.

After the girl spoke with officers, detectives went to a motel in the 3500 block of Pacific Highway East where they found the girl had been staying with a man and two women.

Both women admitted to being prostitutes and drug users, but denied knowing the age of the teenage girl, detectives said.

Police said the man was uncooperative and denied any knowledge of what was happening at the motel or with any of the females, though he was staying in one of the rooms and had a key to another.

Detectives who served search warrants on two rooms at the motel said they found narcotics, syringes, drug paraphernalia, cellphones and a computer believed to have been used to post prostitution ads on the Internet, including ads for the 15-year-old girl.

The two women were booked into the Pierce County Jail on charges of unlawful possession of a controlled substance and prostitution-related charges.

The man was booked into Pierce County Jail on charges of promoting sexual abuse of a minor and drug-related charges, including providing narcotics to a minor.

The girl was released to her mother.  Possible charges against her have been forwarded to the Pierce County juvenile prosecutor.