Warning: Do not seek prostitutes on the internet any time soon

1:15 PM EDT on June 25, 2012

I've never used the services of a prostitute. When you're as handsome and dashing as I am, you just don't need to. But if I ever did feel the need to pay for sex, I'd probably go the online route. It's more discreet, less obvious and you get free shipping and handling if you enroll in Amazon Prime.

However, according to a KFOR report that may not be the best idea. The Oklahoma City Police Department is currently in the midst of a large online prostitution sting:

Police once again step up their efforts to bust alleged prostitutes. In just the last two days, nearly a dozen people have been arrested for offering to engage in prostitution or aiding in prostitution.
Previous sting operations targeted trouble spots like South Robinson, this week many of the women arrested were tracked down online.
“June 2012 is a banner year for vice arresting prostitutes,” said video vigilante Brian Bates. “We have seen a consistent effort to combat prostitution and johns going on a solid month now.”
This week’s sting operations have focused mainly on the internet, with police then arresting the women at local hotels.
“It used to be there was a dividing line, on the internet they were considered high class escorts. Not any more,” said Bates.
Bates says while the same girls can solicit online for 10 times the going rate they ask on the street, there is a catch. Online solicitation can carry a felony charge.
“Some of these girls think they can get off the street and take their business online where nobody will complain, but they don’t realize they’ve put themselves in a lot more legal hot water,” said Bates.
Oklahoma City police did not want to talk about the story. They are not finished conducting this latest sting.

Three things:

1. Brian Bates, the Video Vigilante dude who does not appreciate being called Master Bates, was quoted as saying “June 2012 is a banner year for vice arresting prostitutes." Okay, I'm confused. Is June a banner month, or is 2012 a banner year? You can't have it both ways. Also, is Master Bates aware that he's internationally known as a quirky man who hides in the bushes and films street prostitutes giving blow jobs to sick men in alleys? If not, he may want to Google himself. That sounds gross.

2. Why did KFOR run this story while the OKCPD was in the middle of the sting? Doesn't this violate some unwritten rule of journalism? Maybe they just figured the low-lifes who solicit hookers via the internet don't watch the news. Or, maybe they just want to cleverly warn Jesse Wells and Dylan Buckingham to stay away from Craiglist for the next few days.

3. Three years ago today we wrote about Lahoma Smith (pictured below). She was the South Robinson street hooker who blew a guy in exchange for a box of Frito-Lay chips. I wonder if Channel 9 could look Lahoma up and do one of those "Where Our They Now" reports on her. Seriously, that would be kind of interesting. Is she still a prostitute? Is she even alive? Does she like the Doritos Locos Taco? Plus, if they find her and she refuses to talk, they could offer her a scholarship, ride along with Val or a bag of Funyuns. I bet the Funyuns would work the best.