Arnold sting targets streetwalkers

Nearly a dozen alleged streetwalkers and their alleged customers were arrested during a three-day morals sting along two Arnold streets, police said.

Although some women are periodically arrested in the Alle-Kiski Valley for prostitution, the sting was the first larger-scale operation in the Valley in the past six years.

In the latest sting, five women are charged with prostitution and other charges.

"We received calls about problems and we investigated," said police Chief Eric Doutt.

The arrests were made along McCandless Street and Constitution Boulevard.

By Thursday, only one of the women was in the Westmoreland County jail in lieu of $10,000 cash bond awaiting a preliminary hearing. Three others are awaiting preliminary hearings, and another has waived her right to a preliminary hearing and will stand trial.

Six alleged customers, including one woman, were charged with soliciting prostitution.

The suspects include a man who is on probation for bank robbery.

The woman, and a man she accompanied, are accused of asking a police woman, who was posing as a streetwalker, for three-way sex, the officer said.

Police also used an area policeman -- who posed as a prostitute -- in the sting, which took place March 12, March 17 and early Thursday.

According to published reports, Michele L. Monfredi, 37 of Connellsville, who is one of the women charged with prostitution, was among 12 women arrested for prostitution in a November 1999 raid in Arnold and New Kensington.

Also, one of the men accused of soliciting, Robert J. Joris, 51, of Arnold, served about five years in federal prison for robbing the National City Bank in Arnold in December 2003. He used a fake bomb.

According to federal records, Joris is still on probation.

He was in the county jail in lieu of $10,000 bond on two charges.

Morals raid in Arnold

Charged with loitering for the purpose of prostitution are:

• Pamela Orris, 46, 500 block of Fourth Avenue, New Kensington; also charged with having drug paraphernalia

• Brianna Hughes, 26, 2000 block of Greensburg Road, Upper Burrell

• Kimberly Hepler, 43, 300 block of Inwood Court, West Deer; also charged with crack possession

• Michele L. Monfredi, 37, 400 block of Pittsburgh Street, Connellsville

• Rachelle Palmer, 24, 1400 block Fourth Avenue, Arnold

Charged with soliciting prostitution are:

• Guy Moser, 43, 1800 block of Fourth Avenue, Arnold

• Harry Black, 62, 100 block of Firwood Drive, Plum

• Robert J. Joris, 51, 1800 block of Third Avenue, Arnold; also driving while under suspension

• Lisa A. Smith, 41, 1800 block of Third Avenue, Arnold

• Jack T. Watson Jr., 41, 1100 block of Constitution Boulevard, New Kensington

• David Stiles, 55, 9000 block of Church Street, McIntyre, Indiana County

Source: Arnold Police Department