More than half of 110 Bellevue sex sting cases dismissed

BELLEVUE, Wash.  — More than half the 110 cases brought against people arrested in an eight-day prostitution sting in Bellevue have been dismissed because uncover cameras recorded conversations between suspects and undercover officers.

The Seattle Times reported Friday that 61 cases were dismissed after the August operation involving more than 60 officers.

Police say undercover officers and detectives from Bellevue Police and King County Sheriff's Office posed as prostitutes to gather evidence from online sex buyers. They arrested 110 people for the misdemeanor crime of patronizing a prostitute.

Police say the operation included using hidden cameras and that audio conversations were unintentionally recorded between suspects and undercover officers in 61 out of 110 cases.



Police say because state law requires two-party consent to record audio conversations, the City Attorney's Office dismissed the 61 cases.

Police are investigating how the recordings happened.