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PORTLAND, Ore. — A former Portland police sergeant was among more than two dozen people cited or arrested over the past two months during an operation targeting prostitution along the 82nd Avenue corridor. Christopher Kenagy joined the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) in 1999, was promoted to sergeant in 2012 and retired in January, according to state records.
Kenagy appeared in a Tuesday PPB news release about the crackdown, listing the names and ages of 27 people who were arrested or cited for commercial sex solicitation or unlawful prostitution procurement activities. The former is a violation of Oregon law and the latter is a violation of Portland city code. The Oregonian first reported on Kenagy's history with the bureau.
Court records show he was charged with prostitution procurement and attempt to commit a class A misdemeanor, and pleaded not guilty on Tuesday. The crackdown involved patrols along Northeast 82nd Avenue and Northeast Sandy Boulevard by PPB's Human Trafficking Unit, according to the news release, prompted by ongoing community complaints about nuisance activity. Seven more people were also arrested for other crimes during the same operation, PPB said, most of which involved outstanding warrants or firearm violations.
Two guns were seized during the missions, six vehicles were towed and several other potential buyers were identified, according to the news release. The operation was carried out with support from Safety Compass, a nonprofit organization that offers advocacy to people under 25 who have survived commercial sexual exploitation or human trafficking. About 30 people were offered assistance during the operation, according to the news release.
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