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Prostitution charged in sting By SARAH LEMON Six women and one man connected to escort services were arrested and charged with prostitution and promoting prostitution at a Medford motel Wednesday, and a suspect's child was placed in foster care. While prostitution arrests in Medford are not common, more escort services have popped up here in the past three years, said Medford Police Lt. Mike Moran. "It's disturbing that it's growing, but it's still pretty darn rare," he said. Police made just one prostitution arrest last year - a male suspected of promoting prostitution, a felony. On Wednesday, police charged Troy Allen Worsham, 28, of the 11000 block of Meadows Road, White City, with promoting prostitution. Worsham is the operator of Five Star Escorts. Proprietors of four Rogue Valley escort services were charged with prostitution. Monique Bradley, 36, of the 3000 block of South Pacific Highway, Medford, owner of Moonlighting Escorts; Tammy Renee Bonton, 35, of the 600 block of South Modoc Avenue, Medford, owner of Christine's; and Patricia Anne Lafranchi, 21, of the 400 block of Clay Street, Ashland, owner of Paradise Escorts, were charged with one count of prostitution each. Lafranchi already faces charges of prostitution stemming from an arrest earlier this year. That case goes to trial Nov. 7. Scarletts proprietor Kimberly Lorraine Vandermolen, 40, of the 200 block of Teel Lane, Grants Pass, was charged with two counts of prostitution. An employee of Fantasy Escorts, Cambria Lauren Hart, 19, of the 700 block of Alder Lane, Medford, and Five Star Escorts employee April Irene Blank, 24, of the 11000 block of Meadows Road, also were charged with one count of prostitution each. Medford police set up a "sting" operation Wednesday by contacting the escort services, which were listed in the classified advertising section of the Mail Tribune, said Moran. Detectives routed each of the prostitution suspects to a Medford motel between 5 and 10 p.m. to meet a police informantposing as a customer. Each woman allegedly committed prostitution by offering or agreeing to sexual activity for a fee, Moran said. Worsham was waiting in a vehicle outside the motel with Blank's 15-month-old son when police arrested the man, Moran said. Police said they believe Worsham is Blank's boyfriend. Services to Children and Families placed the boy in protective custody, Moran said. Police officials said they plan more sting operations. Prostitution can lead to other crimes, such as robbery and murder, officials said. "If anyone is operating such a business, they should take our warning," Moran said. "It is not legal to offer sexual conduct for a fee." While it is legal for escort services to operate as long as escorts don't offer clients sex, the businesses must be licensed with the city. Fantasy and Paradise escorts didn't have licenses, police said. "We're not enforcing morals here. ... That's not our thrust," Moran said. But to get a license, escort services must first interview with police, who explain prostitution laws and warn entrepreneurs that they are aware escort services are often fronts for prostitution operations. Reach reporter Sarah Lemon at 776-4487, or e-mail [email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.