King County Prosecutor: What’s driving the crisis on Aurora and what we’re doing about it
Saturday, July 4, 2026
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| Location of incidents where the prosecutor filed charges |
King County prosecutor Leesa Manion proposes harsher penalties for the johns who patronize prostitution.
Children, women and others from vulnerable communities continue to be exploited along Aurora because they are in high demand by sex buyers. And, in turn, the demand for trafficked people is what drives the associated gun violence and many other crimes along Aurora.
Our office is fighting for state legislation to protect and increase resources for trafficking survivors by holding sex buyers accountable for using their money to buy sexual access to vulnerable people.
What the prosecutor's office is currently doing to address the crisis
#1 First and foremost, we will continue to consistently file felony cases of crimes from along Aurora.
Between N 80th St and N 145 St along Aurora, we filed 143 felonies in the first five months of 2026: cases of felony assault, burglary, drive by shooting, and organized retail theft. We are also consistently charging human traffickers and pimps.
#2 For the past two legislative sessions, we have pushed for lawmakers to make “patronizing prostitution” a Class C Felony (currently it carries less of a penalty than stealing a candy bar).
Until that changes, we will continue to see the wild west of human trafficking, violence, and misery taking place along Aurora.
What the prosecutor's office is currently doing to address the crisis
#1 First and foremost, we will continue to consistently file felony cases of crimes from along Aurora.
Between N 80th St and N 145 St along Aurora, we filed 143 felonies in the first five months of 2026: cases of felony assault, burglary, drive by shooting, and organized retail theft. We are also consistently charging human traffickers and pimps.
#2 For the past two legislative sessions, we have pushed for lawmakers to make “patronizing prostitution” a Class C Felony (currently it carries less of a penalty than stealing a candy bar).
We will keep fighting to pass this legislation, which will help stop the extreme physical and sexual violence against trafficked children and women along Aurora (and throughout King County) and stem the crime and violence that results from the unchecked demand of the individuals purchasing sex from vulnerable people.
This demand is what is driving the lucrative market for buying and selling human beings along Aurora.
The legislature didn’t pass this bill in 2026, but we aren’t giving up, and in the meantime, we will keep doing our part to prosecute felony crime along Aurora.
The legislature didn’t pass this bill in 2026, but we aren’t giving up, and in the meantime, we will keep doing our part to prosecute felony crime along Aurora.
fighting off a 44% reduction in crime victim services funding so that community-based domestic violence shelters, crisis lines and more maintain year over year funding.
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