THOMASVILLE — A Thomasville Police Department prostitution sting resulted in three arrests in an area of the city where residents complain frequently about the activity.

Lt. Heath Champion, who organized and supervised the sting, said the undercover activity was in response to numerous complaints about prostitution.

Police also receive a lot of complaints about drug activity in the Stevens/Green streets area, said Eric Hampton, assistant police chief.

“We think the ladies are using prostitution to get money to get drugs,” Hampton said.

The activity is underway night and day, authorities said.

“During the daylight hours, they are standing on the corner,” Hampton said. “The ones you see walking in the daytime, you see walking at night, too.”

At 9:50 a.m. Friday, as an undercover officer turned off Stevens onto West Walcott Street, he heard a whistle from a person walking on Stevens, as though the individual was trying to send a signal, according to authorities.

The undercover officer pulled his vehicle up to the person, Anthony Dewayne Adams, 55, 214 Plain St., who entered the vehicle through the passenger door.

Champion said Adams asked the officer what he was looking for. The officer responded, “Company.”

“Anthony said it would cost him $25,” Champion said, adding that Adams lit a marijuana cigarette and offered to share the smoke with the officer.

“Of course, he said,’No,’ “ Champion said.

Champion, traveling in a marked TPD vehicle, made a traffic stop on the undercover vehicle at Cairo Road and Roseway.

A search of the vehicle produced undergarments, several unopened condoms and a glass crack pipe found under the seat where Adams had been sitting.

At 10:15 p.m. Friday, the undercover operation continued on Stevens Street, when a man yelled at the officer and signaled for him to stop. Joseph Lee Baldwin, 44, 1004, Lot 12, Singletary Road, Cairo, entered through the passenger side and asked what the officer was looking for. Again, the officer said, “Company.”

Baldwin began to give the officer directions to a prostitute, an incident report says. Baldwin told the officer he could find a prostitute for him in the 100 block of Green Street and retrieved his phone to call the prostitute to met him and the officer.

Baldwin told the officer he could help him obtain marijuana, cocaine and other drugs. A traffic stop ensued, and Baldwin was taken into custody.

Less than an hour later, the undercover officer saw a woman standing at the corner of Stevens and Green. He spoke, the woman spoke, and she approached the driver side window. The incident report says the woman, Kayshonda Nicole Drake, got into the vehicle.

The woman asked how much money the driver had. The officer replied “fifty,” and Drake asked what type of sexual act he wanted.

A traffic stop took place, and Drake was charged with prostitution. A crack pipe was found on her.

Drake and Adams are charged with prostitution and possession and use of a drug-related object. Baldwin is charged with pandering and traffic offenses.

“I think we’ve made them aware of our presence, and (we) could be over there at any time,” Champion said.

Senior reporter Patti Dozier can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 1820