4 From Hudson Valley Arrested Following Prostitution Sting in Orange County

Update: This article has been updated to reflect that the criminal charge of patronizing a prostitute was dismissed in court for two of the four men.

Four Hudson Valley residents were arrested following a prostitution sting in Orange County. Police say all four responded to an ad that offered sex for money.

Wednesday, Town of Woodbury Police and New York State Police conducted a prostitution sting in Orange County. An ad was placed on an undisclosed website that offered sex for cash.

The defendants allegedly called the number listed, set up a time to meet, and agreed on a cash price in return for sexual favors. The suspects were not aware that they were making a deal over the phone with an undercover police officer.

When the men arrived, separately, to the agreed upon location, they were met by police and arrested.

Joel Gross, 22, of Monroe, 38-year-old Harry Brown from Middletown and two other men were charged with 4th-degree patronizing a prostitute, a class B misdemeanor. The charge of patronizing a prostitute made against the two other men was later dismissed in court, according to court documents provided to the Hudson Valley Post. Those two men pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct violations and paid a fine.

All four were released pending the court appearance.