County Councilman Arrested -- Wendell Brown Cited In Prostitution Sting

TACOMA - A Pierce County Councilman was arrested on suspicion of soliciting a prostitute during a sting by the Sheriff's Office.

Wendell Brown was cited and released following his arrest yesterday at the Rose Garden Motel in Ponders, an area near Lakewood known as a prostitution mecca.

"I talked to an attorney ," Brown said. "He told me not to comment until actually we get all the facts on this thing.

"Obviously, this is not a kind of situation that you want to go through. Like I said, when all the facts come forward, I think that this misunderstanding that presently exists will . . . be cleared up."

Brown, a South Tacoma Democrat who narrowly lost the race for Pierce County executive last fall, has held elective office since 1978. He has had two terms in the Legislature and was elected county assessor-treasurer.

According to a sheriff's report, Brown was talking on a speaker phone in his personal car while parked alongside Pacific Highway Southwest outside the motel.

A deputy, who was the decoy, talked to Brown through his open window while walking by. She reported that Brown asked her to get into his car.

The decoy said she told Brown she didn't do "car dates." She said Brown then asked her, "Well, how much?" She said she told him $20 for oral sex and $40 for intercourse. The decoy said Brown answered, "OK."

Brown followed her into the motel parking lot with his car then hesitated, the decoy said. According to her, Brown said, "I don't really do this."

They exchanged goodbyes and the decoy walked into the motel room where other deputies were waiting. She told them Brown had left and walked back outside, only to find him waiting for her.

This time, he followed her back to the room and was promptly arrested.

A deputy reported Brown's wallet contained no cash. When the deputy asked the councilman if he was planning to rob the decoy or simply not pay, Brown replied he was just "seeing what she was up to."

They are scheduled to appear in Lakewood Municipal Court July 15. They face misdemeanor charges of soliciting, which is punishable by a maximum 90-day jail sentence and a fine of up to $1,000, according to Lakewood city attorney Dan Heid.