Police arrest 10 NH residents on prostitution charges during 'Operation Poison Ivy'
MANCHESTER — A prostitution sting resulted in 10 arrests Thursday.
Manchester police said they participated in "Operation Poison Ivy" to improve the quality of life for residents who live in the area of Enright Park.
During the operation, police made 10 arrests, including six women and four men.
The arrests
Police said Officer Jennifer Lever was walking in plain clothes in the area of Manchester Street and Beech Street at 4 p.m. when she was approached by Thomas Fournier, 55, of Laconia. Police said he stopped his pick-up truck and engaged in a conversation with Lever, eventually asking her to perform sexual favors for money. A marked vehicle stopped Fournier and made the arrest. He was charged with prostitution and released on $500 personal recognizance bail. He is scheduled to appear Manchester district court Aug. 17.
Officer Meghan Grant was walking on Manchester Street, near Beech Street, at 5 p.m., when she engaged in a conversation with the driver of a black Hyundai. Police said the operator, Lemus Rodriguez, 29, of Manchester, solicited sexual acts for money, so the officer asked him to pick her up at another location. A marked unit stopped Rodriguez and arrested him without incident, and he was charged with prostitution and was released on $500 personal recognizance bail. He is scheduled to appear in Manchester district court on Aug. 17.
Police said Detective Christian Horn was operating an unmarked vehicle around 8:40 p.m. in the area of Manchester and Beech streets when he pulled over and spoke with a female on the side of the road. Bridgette Lebedew, 37, of Manchester, made contact with the detective and eventually entered the vehicle, police said. Once inside, she discussed performing sexual acts for money, so Officer Horn provided additional officers with a predetermined signal. Officers in a marked police cruiser stopped the unmarked vehicle and arrested Lebedew. Police said she was charged with prostitution and violation of bail. She also had an outstanding warrant from Hillsborough County for failure to appear, police said. She was scheduled to appear Manchester district court Friday.
Horn made another prostitution-related arrest 10 minutes after arresting Lewbedew, when he drove through the area of Merrimack and Wilson streets. He made contact with Kelly McAndrew, 41, on Merrimack Street, where she entered his vehicle and discussed performing sexual favors for money, police said. Police stopped the unmarked car and arrested McAndrew without incident. She was charged with prostitution and released on $1,000 personal recognizance bail. She is scheduled to appear in the Manchester district court Aug. 17.
The fifth arrest of the night occurred around 9:20 p.m. when Horn was driving on Manchester Street near Lincoln Street. He spoke with Kaitlyn Koester, 30, of Manchester, and she entered his vehicle. She discussed performing sexual favors for money, so Horn had a marked unit stop his vehicle on Amherst Street at Alfred Street, police said. Koester was charged with prostitution and transported to police headquarters. She was released on $1,000 cash bail and is scheduled to appear in the Manchester district court Aug. 17.
Around 9:55 p.m., Officer Sarah Kulig was standing on the corner of Manchester and Union streets when a Toyota Corolla pulled up next to her. The operator, Jeromy Woodey, 34, of Manchester, engaged in a conversation and agreed to exchange money for sexual acts with the undercover officer, police said. Police stopped his vehicle in the parking lot of Cumberland Farms on Hanover Street. He was arrested and charged with prostitution. Woodey was scheduled to appear in Manchester district court Friday.
Police said Horn returned to the area of Manchester and Union streets around 10:25 p.m., where he spoke with Vivian Gaudet, 54, of Manchester, before she entered his unmarked vehicle. Once inside, she agreed to perform sexual acts in exchange for money, so the officer provided a predetermined signal for other officer's to stop the vehicle, police said. Officers stopped his vehicle on Hanover Street at Milton Street, where Gaudet was arrested without incident and charged with prostitution. She was released on $1,000 personal recognizance bail and is scheduled to appear in Manchester district court Aug. 17.
Around 10:45 p.m., Horn picked up Cathy Hill, 49, of Manchester, on Manchester Street. Police said she agreed to perform a sexual act for the detective, after which he provided a signal to other officers working the operation. Officers stopped the vehicle on Amherst Street, and Hill was arrested and charged with prostitution. She was released on $1,000 personal recognizance bail and is scheduled to appear in the Manchester district court Aug. 17.
Police said shortly after 12 a.m. Friday, Lever returned to the area of Manchester and Union streets, where she was approached by a man in a Toyota Highlander. Sheldon Hill, 75, of Manchester, stated that he was looking for a date for the evening and agreed to exchange money for sexual favors, police said. The detective told him to meet her at another location where he was stopped by a marked unit and arrested without incident. Hill was charged with prostitution and released on $1,000 personal recognizance bail. He is scheduled to appear in the Manchester district court Aug. 17.
The final arrest occurred at 12:25 a.m. when Detective Aaron Brown was driving an unmarked vehicle and observed Nichole Pelletier, 32, of Manchester, on Union Street. He pulled his vehicle over and was immediately approached by Pelletier, who entered his vehicle and ultimately agreed to perform sexual acts in exchange for money, police said. Brown's vehicle was pulled over on Hanover Street, and Pelletier was arrested without incident. She was charged with prostitution and released on $1,000 personal recognizance bail. She is scheduled to appear in Manchester district court Aug. 17.
