Undercover prostitution sting nets 21 arrests in Lawton

Following an operation by the Lawton Police Department’s Special Operations Unit, a woman is in jail on a felony charge of pandering and 20 others have received misdemeanor counts stemming from the investigation.

Drewcilla Shepherd, 31, made her initial appearance Monday in Comanche County District Court where she received a felony charge of pandering and misdemeanor charges of marijuana possession and transporting an open container of alcohol, records indicate. The felony count is punishable by between two to 20 years in prison.

On March 26, undercover police were conducting an undercover prostitution sting and reached out to a woman posting ads at an online website for prostitution services, the probable cause affidavit states. Detectives were able to get the unknown woman to agree to a $300 sexual act and it was agreed she’d bring a friend with her, Detective Derrick Kuhlman stated.

Two women came to Kuhlman’s hotel room door and were arrested for solicitation for prostitution. Another detective was watching the perimeter and saw the women get out of a gray Buick. The driver, Antwan King, 28, of Vernon, Texas, and the passenger, Shepherd, were detained and questioned. Each admitted to transporting the women to the rendezvous, the affidavit states. A half-consumed bottle of tequila was found in the right rear passenger floorboard, Kuhlman stated.

Investigators learned that Shepherd was facilitating the meet up.

King pleaded guilty Monday to misdemeanor counts of marijuana possession and transporting an open container of alcohol and was fined, records indicate.

Lawton police recorded several arrests of alleged prostitutes and potential customers through online ads and other local avenues.

Shepherd’s is the only one so far identified as receiving felony charges as several others are identified in Comanche County Detention Center logs as being arrested for misdemeanor counts.

Held on $5,000 bond, Shepherd returns to court at 3 p.m. June 4 for her preliminary hearing conference, records indicate.