MANCHESTER, NH – The Manchester Police Department arrested two men Aug. 6 during a sting operation targeting those soliciting prostitutes in the area of Enright Park.
A female plain clothes officer received two separate solicitations for sexual favors, and those men were arrested. They are from the following men: Michael Deblasi, 68, and Winston Varnie, 34, both of Manchester.
Winston Varnie, 34, was arrested at approximately 7:10 p.m. in the area of Enright Park after he allegedly approached the undercover officer and solicited her for sex as he sat next to her on a park bench. Two uniformed officers immediately made the arrest and he was taken into custody without incident.
Michael Deblasi, 68, was arrested at 9:20 p.m. in the area of Maple and Manchester streets. Deblasi was driving a black Mercedes when he allegedly stopped on Manchester Street and engaged in a conversation with the undercover officer. Deblasi allegedly solicited her for sexual favors before he was arrested without incident.
Both men were released on $500 personal recognizance and will appear in the 9th Circuit Court-Manchester on September 10, 2015.
Police said that while prostitution is often viewed as a “harmless crime” the disparaging view of the local community has a far-reaching negative impact on those who live in the problem areas.
Enright Park, located on Laurel and Lincoln Street, has been a chronic area of concern for many local residents. Furthermore, a majority of prostitutes in the city battle drug addiction. The use of needles and illegal disposal of such needles causes a threat to those in the neighborhood, especially children playing in area parks. The “johns’ who solicit the prostitutes are of equal concern because they support the crime of prostitution, police said.
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