Two arrested in reverse prostitution sting in Sioux Falls

Two Iowa men were arrested in Sioux Falls for allegedly trying to solicit sex in what police called a "reverse" prostitution operation.

Sgt. Scott Van Roekel of the Sioux Falls Police Department said David Alan Cleveringa, a 53-year-old man from Sioux Center, Iowa, and 55-year-old Kevin Gene Van Beek of Inwood, Iowa, were both charged with hiring for sexual activity.

Hiring for sexual activity is a class 1 misdemeanor if a first offense, but becomes a class 6 felony if one has been convicted of it more than once in 10 years.

Police referred to the two men's arrest as a "Reverse John Operation," in which police set up a sting to arrest men - known as johns - who try to solicit prostitutes.

Police spokesman Sam Clemens said the police department intends to do more of these stings, now that more officers have undergone training in this area. 

Sioux Falls police:Three arrested in local prostitution stings

More than 100 people responded to the undercover officers' online posts advertising sex, Clemens said. He declined to give the location of where these stings took place, since the police department plans to do more in the future.

"The whole point of doing these operations is to find people involved in human trafficking," he said. "If we can curb that demand, then hopefully we'll see less human trafficking coming through Sioux Falls.

Sioux Falls is not the only police department to try to catch johns recently. The Rapid City Police Department recently arrested four men accused of responding to an online posting advertising prostitution.

In January, three women were arrested for prostitution at two Sioux Falls hotels.