The owner of Calypso Motor Inn in Myrtle Beach, Yehuda Sadeh, works year round to repair his motel. But two years ago when he bought the building, he was repairing the motel's entire image.
"I evicted a lot of people doing drugs, prostitution," says Sadeh. "Clients were coming over here so I knew I had to clean the place up."
This Israeli born New Yorker-turned-South Carolinian is measuring for new carpet to get ready for the tourist season. His motel is located on Flagg Street, an area of the Grand Strand known for prostitution. He says ridding a community of crime starts with making a difference yourself. "Each one of us who owns the property here who owns one of the motels here should do something to help fight these diseases."
To fight what Sadeh calls diseases, a South Carolina lawmaker wants to increase the penalties for those soliciting prostitution.
The Post and Courier of Charleston reported Friday that Colombia Rep. Leon Howard introduced a bill that would make a third offense of soliciting prostitution a felony. The punishment would include a maximum 5 years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
Howard believes increased penalties would deter many away from the crime that he says ties up police.
Myrtle Beach police spokesman David Knipes says his department isn't tied up by prostitution.
"We treat prostitution like any other crime. If an officer observes a possible incident, they will respond to it," says Knipes. "As a police officer, we will make the arrest and go on to our way. Who it will really tie up is the solicitors office. It will bring more people into the general sessions. The solicitor's office is trying to work on murder cases, and now they will have to deal with felony soliciting prostitution charges as well."
Knipes admits deterring criminals one by one would free up officers for other crimes. "If we could concentrate on some of the more major crimes, it'll help us out obviously."
Like Sadeh, the Calypso owner, Knipes says a community cleans itself from within. "Nobody wants prostitutes roaming the streets in front of their house. So we're going to address it. Whether people think it's a victimless crime or not."
Right now, soliciting prostitution is a misdemeanor with a penalty of 30 days in jail or a $200 fine. A third offense, which is still a misdemeanor, increases the fine to $3,000 and at least a year in prison.
Sadeh says the economy is causing more people to try to make a living anyway they can, and he doesn't blame the prostitutes. "We don't need legislation to penalize people. If everyone did their part, I will disappear by itself."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
