First case of sex for money in Pickens' known history

Staff Writer

rseaborn@pickenssentinel.com

PICKENS - A local woman was arrested Friday on charges that she was offering sexual favors for money, and advertising her services on the popular web site Craig's List.

Amanda Jill Godfrey, of 161 Blue Yonder Road, was charged by Pickens Police

Department officials with assisting or promoting prostitution, a police incident report said.

In addition, Godfrey, 28, was charged with simple possession of marijuana and the possession of drug paraphernalia, the report said.

Assistant Chief Rodney Gregory, with the department, said that the woman's actions were brought to the attention of officers by a confidential source who also said that the woman was advertising on Craig's List.

An undercover agent then called the number and spoke to the suspect who asked that the agent call back at a later time, the report said.

When the agent called the second time, the suspect said she charged $100 for 30 minutes, and arranged to meet the agent at the Hot Spot, on S.C. 8, the incident report said.

It was there that the agent met a woman who said her name was Mona, later identified as Godfrey, who told the agent to follow her to a residence in Pickens Garden Apartments, stating that her mother's resided there on weekends, the incident report said.

When the agent and suspect arrived at the apartment, the woman told him that he could pay her when they went inside the home, the report said.

Police officers arrested the suspect before she entered the apartment, the report said.

Upon making the arrest, officers discovered a green, leafy substance rolled into a partially burned cigarette and items of drug paraphernalia in her purse, the report said.

Gregory said that while varying levels of prostitution do occur in most municipalities, though not as open as in this case, illegal solicitation of sex for money is not a problem in the City of Pickens as in other cities.

"It's just not a big problem here," he said.

This recent arrest for prostitution is the first charge of that nature to be made in the known history of Pickens, Gregory said.

Godfrey was booked into the Pickens County Detention Center and released on a $2,918.50 bond.