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Oklahoma Video Vigilante Uses Drone To Wage War Against Prostitutes and Johns (bbc.com)

Posted by EditorDavid on from the fly-by-night-flyby dept.

HughPickens.com writes: Chris Baraniuk writes at BBC that Brian Bates, known in Oklahoma as the "Video Vigilante," is taking credit for Amanda Zolicoffer's conviction on a lewdness charge after being caught on Bates' drone mounted camera in a sex act in a parked vehicle last year. Zolicoffer was sentenced to a year in state prison for the misdemeanor while the case against her alleged client, who was released following arrest in December, is still pending. "I'm sort of known in the Oklahoma City area," says Bates . "For the last 20 years I've used a video camera to document street-level and forced prostitution, and human trafficking." Bates runs a website where he publishes videos of alleged sex workers and their clients. "I am openly referred to as a video vigilante, I don't really shy away from that," says Bates adding that the two individuals were inside a vehicle and the incident occurred away from other members of the public. The drone dropped to within a few feet of the vehicle where it filmed a 75 year old in the front seat of the white pickup truck. The duo separated after Zolicoffer, who was identified by her tattoo saying "Baby Gangster," saw the drone hovering overhead.

24 of 339 comments (clear)

  1. Going voyeur... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ... to force your morality unto everyone else. Of course he's proud of his "successes."

    1. Re:Going voyeur... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      By putting them in the American prison system? Shooting them and their dependents in the head would be doing more for the prostitutes than this self-righteous twit is.

    2. Re:Going voyeur... by dbIII · · Score: 5, Insightful

      It's not really all of the different to taking upskirt photos with a hidden camera on a staircase and then charging those with no underwear with indecency.
      This is one of those laws designed to reduce offence to people and going around taking a close look at those a long way away from others who could take offence is a bit pointless and nasty.

    3. Re:Going voyeur... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

      This drone operator was not breaking any laws.

      There is no fucking way someone could fly this many drones, over this much municipal area, coming this close, to this many vehicles and property, and take this much video, of pornographic/voyeristic nature, and upload it to the internet (with ads?) without breaking enough laws to have them playing poker with Bernie Madoff for the rest of his days at least.

      This guy is a whackjob with fetish for stalking hookers with drones. He's the poster child for everything that's wrong with the drone "community", and one of the reasons drone owners will all be tarred as creeps and assholes within the next ten years.

      Take your aerial shots while you can. The drone party will be over soon.

    4. Re: Going voyeur... by arth1 · · Score: 4, Funny

      You've obviously never heard of jurt nullification.

      The old Mongolian saying that what happens in the jurt, stays in the jurt?

    5. Re:Going voyeur... by arth1 · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Vigilantism is when people take the law into their own hands and try to punish people themselves. All this guy is doing is gathering evidence and turning it over to the police. That's not illegal.

      Seeking out criminal actions is, indeed, illegal in most states. Depending on the state, neighborhood watches, for example, can patrol an area, but not look for crime. And PIs can be restricted to having to abort investigations and report to the police if they have reasonable belief that there is a crime, without being allowed to gather evidence of it.

      And there's little doubt that a private individual who actively goes looking for crime with the intent of getting people punished is indeed doing vigilantism, acting in the capacity of law enforcement without the authority.

    6. Re:Going voyeur... by SuricouRaven · · Score: 4, Informative

      Some states also have very strict laws against investigating suspected animal abuse in the meat industry - the lobbying is strong on that issue. After a series of scandals in which horrific conditions in farming and slaughtering food animals were exposed, the industry responded by pushing for 'ag-gag' laws to deter any further activists from trying to sneak a camera in.

    7. Re:Going voyeur... by PopeRatzo · · Score: 5, Insightful

      This might shock you, but outlawing prostitution actually makes a lot of sense. A non-trivial portion of prostitutes are not willing.

      That's a separate crime that has nothing to do with the sex work. Human trafficking and slavery are already illegal. No reason to make consensual sex workers criminals too.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    8. Re:Going voyeur... by wvmarle · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Did you even read TFS? Because you apparently missed this part:

      Bates runs a website where he publishes videos of alleged sex workers and their clients. "I am openly referred to as a video vigilante, I don't really shy away from that," says Bates

      So he's not just turning over evidence to the police, he's actively publishing it, presumably to name and shame people he thinks are involved in an illegal act of prostitution. He doesn't investigate whether it's actually prostitution, or whether it's just a loving couple. Then he happily agrees to being a vigilante himself.

    9. Re:Going voyeur... by CaptainDork · · Score: 5, Insightful

      This.

      This motherfucker wants one thing: Attention.

      He'll get it by way of violence or litigation.

      People have expectations of privacy. How many videos does he have of people NOT having sex in a vehicle?

      A victim's lawyer is going to file for discovery and get every piece of fucking technology under this asshole's control and lock him up for every minor he's peeked at.

      --
      It little behooves the best of us to comment on the rest of us.
    10. Re:Going voyeur... by sydbarrett74 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      +1

      Wish I had mod points. In areas where they have made prostitution legal or at least decriminalised it, statistics have shown lower rates of domestic abuse, violent crime, and STD's. Plus, they enjoy an increase in tax revenue because a formerly illicit occupation can have its workers brought into the mainstream economy to pay taxes. The degree to which some people are so concerned about others' genitals is most irrational.

      Concerning your enlightened comment about conflating prostitution and sex trafficking, the same logical fallacy is committed with regards to homosexuality and paedophilia. In the minds of many, someone who is gay must be a raving child molestor who has designs on their young kids. The vast majority of homosexuals are of course as equally horrified by child molestation as most heterosexuals are, but moralists can't be bothered with facts and logic. And I suspect that moralism is an example of psychological overcompensation to mask some repressed tendency in the one passing judgement on others.

      --
      'He who has to break a thing to find out what it is, has left the path of wisdom.' -- Gandalf to Saruman
    11. Re:Going voyeur... by _Sharp'r_ · · Score: 4, Informative

      There's more to the story with a police arrest record which isn't mentioned in the news stories:

      FEBRUARY 9–An Oklahoma man who has gained national exposure for his “video vigilante” campaign to expose street prostitution in his hometown was arrested yesterday for allegedly paying hookers to ensure that they serviced customers in an area where he could easily film the illicit trysts.

      According to the below Oklahoma City Police Department report, Brian Bates, 34, orchestrated the public encounters so he could peddle the resulting videotape to media outlets (some of Bates’s surveillance tapes are offered for sale on his web site).

      In his dealings with prostitutes, Bates was choosy, investigators contend.

      For example, if a john was a “regular,” Bates asked prostitutes to give “specific signals” so he would know not to bother rolling tape. Investigators also noted that, like any good auteur, Bates “gave direction to the prostitutes on how to complete the act with a high probability of success,” as well as tips on how to spot an undercover cop.

      Bates was hit with a felony pandering charge and a misdemeanor count of aiding in prostitution. The pandering rap, which is usually reserved for pimps, carries a minimum two-year jail term, and a maximum of 20 years in the stir.

      The more you know about the true story behind a reported news story, the more you learn the "news" is typically at best clueless and at worst 100% in the wrong direction.

      --
      The party of stupid and the party of evil get together and do something both stupid and evil, then call it bipartisan.
  2. nothing better to do, huh by Mitreya · · Score: 4, Insightful

    used a video camera to document street-level and forced prostitution, and human trafficking.

    One of these is not like the others.
    I doubt he caught a lot of human trafficking or forced prostitution on camera. The article certainly doesn't mention any.

    1. Re:nothing better to do, huh by wbr1 · · Score: 5, Interesting
      A thousand times this. Most (not all, as in severe rape and snuff kink and underage) human trafficking will go away if prostitution were legal. However, street level prostitution happens in plain view, the others do not. They are just added by someone for PR purposes.. "look at this guy doing good against teen prostitute traffickers..." When in reality all he has caught are likely some drug addicts feeding their addiction.

      But, like the war on drugs, the prohibition favors the entrenched interests.

      --
      Silence is a state of mime.
    2. Re:nothing better to do, huh by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Most (not all, as in severe rape and snuff kink and underage) human trafficking will go away if prostitution were legal.

      No, that's not substantiated. It's actually the opposite.

      https://orgs.law.harvard.edu/lids/2014/06/12/does-legalized-prostitution-increase-human-trafficking/

      Countries with legalized prostitution are associated with higher human trafficking inflows than countries where prostitution is prohibited. The scale effect of legalizing prostitution, i.e. expansion of the market, outweighs the substitution effect, where legal sex workers are favored over illegal workers. On average, countries with legalized prostitution report a greater incidence of human trafficking inflows.

              The effect of legal prostitution on human trafficking inflows is stronger in high-income countries than middle-income countries. Because trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation requires that clients in a potential destination country have sufficient purchasing power, domestic supply acts as a constraint.

              Criminalization of prostitution in Sweden resulted in the shrinking of the prostitution market and the decline of human trafficking inflows. Cross-country comparisons of Sweden with Denmark (where prostitution is decriminalized) and Germany (expanded legalization of prostitution) are consistent with the quantitative analysis, showing that trafficking inflows decreased with criminalization and increased with legalization.

              The type of legalization of prostitution does not matter — it only matters whether prostitution is legal or not. Whether third-party involvement (persons who facilitate the prostitution businesses, i.e, “pimps”) is allowed or not does not have an effect on human trafficking inflows into a country. Legalization of prostitution itself is more important in explaining human trafficking than the type of legalization.

              Democracies have a higher probability of increased human-trafficking inflows than non-democratic countries. There is a 13.4% higher probability of receiving higher inflows in a democratic country than otherwise.

  3. Re:Not so much about morality by Frosty+Piss · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Most prostitutes these days are virtually, or literally, slaves. They are often kidnapped or trafficked into the US. They are then beaten into submission by their pimps until they no longer resist, and then sold to men on the streets.

    You can provide some references beyond hysterical news stories? My guess that there is some of this, but far more is drug addiction related. As well, if you read Dan Savage, you probably know that there are willing "sex workers" as well.

    --
    If you want news from today, you have to come back tomorrow.
  4. Re:Not so much about morality by PopeRatzo · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Most prostitutes these days are virtually, or literally, slaves. They are often kidnapped or trafficked into the US.

    Tony, that's just not true.

    http://www.alternet.org/story/...

    --
    You are welcome on my lawn.
  5. Re:Not so much about morality by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Most prostitutes these days are virtually, or literally, slaves.

    Not true. Most prostitutes work because they need the money, and are not otherwise coerced.

    They are often kidnapped or trafficked into the US.

    False. Only a near-zero number of sex workers are "trafficked" into the US. "Sex trafficking" is mostly hysteria used by law enforcement to justify bloated budgets. It is nearly non-existent in America.

    They are then beaten into submission by their pimps

    Wrong again. Prostitutes with pimps are less likely to be victims of violence. They also make more money, even after paying their pimp, than women working solo. Some groups of prostitutes will team up and hire a pimp, boosting both their safety and income. Source: SuperFreakonomics.

    Coercion, violence, trafficking, etc. are not reasons to make prostitution illegal. They are the result of making it illegal.

  6. Relax. That problem's gonna solve itself by Opportunist · · Score: 4, Insightful

    At some point, some John's going to get pissed enough about this because he's getting divorced and loses everything that he rids the world of the asshole and everything's back to normal.

    Remember kids: If the law fails to solve problems, people will.

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  7. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  8. Re:Not so much about morality by Mashiki · · Score: 4, Insightful

    You can provide some references beyond hysterical news stories? My guess that there is some of this, but far more is drug addiction related. As well, if you read Dan Savage, you probably know that there are willing "sex workers" as well.

    No, likely they can't. It's because the core point of their statement is false. Most prostitutes are women from within the country they live in, and have lived there all their lives. Not saying that it doesn't happen, it does, but in those instances where the women and men are in those circumstances they usually operate out of a bawdy house or something along those lines.

    Something that a lot of people don't understand either is that you'll find prostitutes very law abiding at least here in Canada. If they're picked up, they'll have their surety posted as soon as they know what it'll be and they'll show up for their court cases. They'll also snitch on other prostitutes and pimps who are selling drugs or engaged in other things in those lines.

    --
    Om, nomnomnom...
  9. It's "cheaper" to give people AIDS in Oklahoma... by denzacar · · Score: 4, Insightful

    ...than sex. Or porn. Or to swear.

    http://statelaws.findlaw.com/o...

    A. Every person who willfully either: ...
    3. Writes, composes, stereotypes, prints, photographs, designs, copies, draws, engraves, paints, molds, cuts, or otherwise prepares, publishes, sells, distributes, keeps for sale, or exhibits any obscene or indecent writing, paper, book, picture, photograph, motion picture, figure, form of any description or any type of obscene material; or

    4. Makes, prepares, cuts, sells, gives, loans, distributes, keeps for sale, or exhibits any disc record, metal, plastic, or wax, wire or tape recording, or any type of obscene material or any other kind of sound recording of any obscene or indecent language, poetry, or songs, or who speaks any words by means of a telephone to any person which are offensive to decency or are calculated to excite vicious or lewd thoughts or acts, or who speaks any other communicable words which are offensive to decency or are adapted to excite vicious or lewd thoughts or acts,

    shall be guilty, upon conviction, of a felony and shall be punished by the imposition of a fine of not less than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) nor more than Twenty Thousand Dollars ($20,000.00) or by imprisonment for not less than thirty (30) days nor more than ten (10) years, or by both such fine and imprisonment. Persons convicted under paragraphs 3 and 4 of subsection A of this section shall not be eligible for a deferred sentence.

    A. It shall be unlawful for any person knowing that he or she has Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) or is a carrier of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and with intent to infect another, to engage in conduct reasonably likely to result in the transfer of the person's own blood, bodily fluids containing visible blood, semen, or vaginal secretions into the bloodstream of another, or through the skin or other membranes of another person, except during in utero transmission of blood or bodily fluids, and:

    1. The other person did not consent to the transfer of blood, bodily fluids containing blood, semen, or vaginal secretions; or
    2. The other person consented to the transfer but at the time of giving consent had not been informed by the person that the person transferring such blood or fluids had AIDS or was a carrier of HIV.

    B. Any person convicted of violating the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a felony, punishable by imprisonment in the custody of the Department of Corrections for not more than five (5) years.

    So basically, someone could get 10 years for describing a dream in which he/she gives AIDS to someone through sexual intercourse - but only 5 years if it was not a dream.

    --
    Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens
  10. Re:Not so much about morality by Tony+Isaac · · Score: 4, Informative

    Here are some references. The US State Department estimates about 21 million human trafficking victims, of which about 20% are forced into the sex trade.

    https://blogs.state.gov/storie...
    http://www.unicef.org/protecti...
    https://www.dhs.gov/blue-campa...

  11. Re:Not so much about morality by PopeRatzo · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Here are some references from reputable sources. The US State Department estimates about 21 million human trafficking victims, of which about 20% are forced into the sex trade.

    That's worldwide, Tony. We're talking about the United States here.

    --
    You are welcome on my lawn.