ST. GEORGE —Undercover officers arrested two suspects Saturday after the pair arrived at a motel in St. George to reportedly engage or facilitate in prostitution.
File photo for illustrative purposes only of a St. George Police cruiser in St. George, Utah, Aug. 10, 2023 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, St. George News
The arrests, which occurred shortly after midnight, stem from an investigation into a report alleging that a suspect had posted an ad offering prostitution services.
When undercover detectives contacted the woman, they made arrangements to meet at a motel in St. George where the suspect had reportedly agreed to perform specific sexual acts in exchange for money, according to the probable cause statement filed in support of the arrest.
The report also alleges that prior to the meeting, officers were circulating through the area when they noticed a woman matching the suspect’s description pull into the parking lot of the motel. There also was a passenger in the vehicle.
Once inside, the passenger, Natasa Karac, 35, of Las Vegas, Nevada, made contact with the undercover officer and was arrested shortly after entering the room. She was booked into jail on one misdemeanor count of prostitution and possession of marijuana and was held on $1,000 bail.
Meanwhile, officers learned that the driver had reportedly driven Karac from their hotel in Las Vegas to the motel in St. George to engage in prostitution, authorities say.
The driver was later identified as Jennifer Noble, 46, also from Las Vegas, and was the registered owner of the vehicle.
While speaking to Noble, officers smelled the odor of burnt marijuana coming from the vehicle, and during a search of the car, a THC vape pen and several other items that investigators suspected were used to engage in prostitution were recovered.
Noble was then arrested and transported to Purgatory Correctional Facility to face one third-degree felony count of exploiting prostitution for transporting an individual into the state of Utah to engage in prostitution. She also faces a misdemeanor marijuana possession charge and was being held on $3,500 bail.
Following the arrests, both suspects were released later that day after each posted a bond.
This report is based on statements from court records, police or other responders and may not contain the full scope of findings. Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.
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