PROSTITUTION STING REELS IN 9 ARRESTS.

Byline: Daily News

PALMDALE -- Nine men age 20 to 55 were arrested after they approached undercover policewomen on Palmdale Boulevard sidewalks and offered them money, drugs or beer for sex, sheriff's officials said.

The anti-prostitution ``sting'' Wednesday afternoon and evening was organized in answer to complaints about prostitutes soliciting customers in front of businesses, officials said.

``We know of three or four girls along the boulevard we deal with. If you can also get the guys who are the customer base it's another way of attacking the problem,'' said Sgt. Kyle Bistline, leader of the Palmdale sheriff's station's Partners Against Crime unit.

The nine men were all cited on suspicion of soliciting for prostitution, a misdemeanor, and released to appear later in court, officials said.

Also arrested was a 44-year-old Palmdale woman who approached an undercover male deputy and offered sex for money, officials said. She also was cited and released.

One of the men arrested told an undercover woman deputy that he didn't have much money but he would buy a 12-pack of beer and meet her at a motel room, Bistline said.

Another offered to share his marijuana with a policewoman, Bistline said. He was cited for possession of marijuana as well.

Another man started laughing when uniformed deputies burst out of hiding in the bathroom of the motel room where the undercover policewoman brought him.

``He said, `You got me. This is just like `Cops,''' Bistline said.

Most of the men were from Palmdale and Lancaster but one was from Los Angeles and one was from Colorado and was in the Antelope Valley visiting family, Bistline said.