DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Daytona Beach police are targeting prostitution over the July Fourth holiday weekend.
[PHOTOS: Arrests made in prostitution sting]
More than 100,000 are expected for the Coke Zero 400 NASCAR race, and police said more than just race fans show up.
"We're out here trying to cast a big net and see what we catch," said Cpt. Craig Capril, of the Criminal Investigations Division.
Police used the website backpage.com in the sting, which resulted in five women showing up to a hotel in just a few hours after the posting, and all had different reasons for being there.
"He was giving me a donation," said Maranda Redd.
Redd was just one of the women who officers found on the site. One by one the women showed up to a Daytona Beach hotel, each equipped with a different story.
"He was talking about hanging out and doing stuff, but I didn't say anything about sex or anything like that," said Redd.
Patrice McKelvey was once enrolled in college and is now trying to finish her degree.
"I went to Daytona State and I made the President's List. I need money to go back to school," said McKelvey.
Holly McGregor is a paralegal from out of state and had a gut feeling something was up.
"I knew you were a cop because I work with cops all the time. I knew it, knew it, knew it. I would never usually come to a hotel like this," said McGregor.
"Come to Daytona Beach, break the law and we're going to take you to jail. Simple as that," said Capri.
The women were arrested Thursday night on prostitution charges. None of the arrestees was underage, a problem that police said they have dealt with previously.
The sting was a joint operation involving the Volusia County Sheriff's Office, Daytona Beach Police Department, FBI and the Department of Homeland Security.