Vancouver man arrested in Portland sex trafficking sting

A Vancouver man was among 15 men arrested as part of a Portland police sex-trafficking sting earlier this month.

The Portland Police Bureau’s Sex Trafficking Unit conducted an undercover mission May 5 in which they posted online ads on known sex-trafficking websites and contacted users to arrange payments for sexual acts, according to police.

Fifteen men responded to the ad and came to a Portland hotel, which assisted with the investigation, where they were arrested with a misdemeanor crime of patronizing a prostitute, police said. Due to the volume of men arrested, police issued the men criminal citations to appear in court at a later date.

For investigative reasons, police did not share the website or ad used in the sting.

Among those arrested was 23-year-old Ryan Hill of Vancouver, police said.

The sting was conducted in conjunction with a traveling photo exhibit which honors former victims of human trafficking, “More than a Survivor, More than a story.” The exhibit is being shown throughout Portland through the end of May. For more information on the exhibit and resources to end sex trafficking, visit endsextraffickingnow.org.