Police: Woman charged in prostitution sting asked officer to expose himself

A homeless woman asked an undercover agent to expose himself to prove he wasn’t an officer during a prostitution sting near Fourth Avenue, according to testimony Thursday in Columbus Recorder’s Court.

Tamkia Joy Mitchell, 32, pleaded guilty to loitering for the purpose of prostitution and possession of a drug-related object. She was sentenced to 10 days in the Muscogee County Jail with time served on the loitering charge and given a $250 bond on the other charge.

Judge Julius Hunter bound the case over to Superior Court.

Columbus Police Cpl. Max Todd said undercover agents were near Fourth Avenue around 6 p.m. March 25 investigating in an area where prostitutes frequent when Mitchell entered an unmarked vehicle.

In the arrest report, Todd said the woman told the undercover officer she was trying to make money. In court, he told the judge that an officer asked her if she wanted to make money and she replied, “Yes.”

She then asked the officer to expose himself to prove that he wasn’t with the police force, according to Todd’s testimony.

She was taken into custody on the scene, where officials said they found a glass smoking device in her pocket.

Mitchell’s criminal history includes multiple prostitution charges.

In late March, she was allegedly offered oral sex to an undercover officer in exchange for $20. Less than a month later, she was one of four women charged during a prostitution sting on Valentine’s Day. Both incidents occurred near North Lumpkin Road, according to police.

This story was originally published June 1, 2017 at 11:46 AM with the headline "Police: Woman charged in prostitution sting asked officer to expose himself."