Eight arrested for prostitution

DICKINSON, N.D. — Eight people were arrested over the weekend after a bust of what the Dickinson Police Department is calling a prostitution ring.

Bradley Gingell, Josue Gomez, Jose Montano and Mark Twogood of Dickinson were arrested, along with Bradley Balerud and Brian R. Gebeke of Bismarck and Monty Sondrol of Hebron, N.D., for the crime of hiring an individual to engage in sexual activity, a Class B misdemeanor.

Shanika Walker, a Wisconsin resident, was arrested for prostitution, also a Class B misdemeanor. DPD Sgt. Kylan Klauzer said the arrests happened Jan. 4 and Jan. 5 in Dickinson. Klauzer wouldn’t confirm where the arrests were made, although several DPD responses for “prostitution laws” at the Hampton Inn & Suites in Dickinson were listed on a log of DPD police calls from over the weekend.

News of the arrests was sent to area media via press release from the DPD Monday morning. All eight individuals were booked into the Southwest Multi-County Correction Center before posting a $300 cash bond for release. Klauzer said Monday that a full report on the arrests wouldn’t be ready “for a few days.” As of early Monday evening, The Press had not received any information on charges levied against the eight.

When reached by phone Monday, Balerud said he planned to fight any charges he might face. Balerud is listed on the website for U.S. Recovery Services as the Bismarck business’ president, although he said Monday he was “fired” because of his arrest.

“I’m innocent,” Belerud said. “I will be fighting any charges. A buddy and I were looking to hire a dancer for some adult entertainment for some friends. There was never any communication for sexual favors.”

Hampton Inn & Suites General Manager Katie Culver said she would neither confirm nor deny that any arrests for prostitution were made at the hotel last weekend. Klauzer said the DPD sting operation had been in effect for some time.

“We’ve gotten calls from citizens concerned about prostitution in Dickinson in the past,” Klauzer said. “We have undercover operations where we place johns and janes at different times. We want the community to know this is something we take seriously.”

The North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigations assisted with the sting, according the bureau spokesperson Liz Brocker and the DPD press release.

Tags: news, crime, energy