### Rampant Prostitution Sparks Concerns in Queens' Roosevelt Avenue

A notorious stretch along Roosevelt Avenue in Queens, New York City, has become a thriving hotspot for open-air prostitution, to the point where a brothel raided by police was operational again within 24 hours, as captured in a compelling Fox News Digital video. This alarming exposure has highlighted the blatant lawlessness plaguing the area, which falls partly within Democratic Squad Member Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's district.

During a recent visit by Fox News Digital, the investigative team witnessed firsthand the illicit activities outside a former beauty salon, now seemingly functioning as a brothel. Though shuttered with metal doors, the establishment had a makeshift door and two CCTV cameras overhead. Shockingly, during an interview with local activist Ramses Frías, a purported sex worker and her client exited the building, nonchalantly making their way onto the bustling Roosevelt Avenue.

Frías, a resident-turned-activist, expressed his lack of surprise at the quick resurgence of the building's operations. He noted that the stretch has long been overrun by prostitution activities, with sex workers openly advertising day and night with few legal repercussions. "This block itself has been out of control and the lawlessness continues to happen," he remarked.

The situation is so pervasive that residents refer to the area as the "Avenue of the Sweethearts," likening it to the infamous red-light districts of Bangkok. The shocking scale was evident as Fox News Digital documented at least 19 alleged sex workers lining one block, with others around the corner and nearby streets offering sexual services.

The NYPD confirmed making three arrests during the raid on September 18, though the establishment was not immediately padlocked. The Queens District Attorney's Office is working on shutting down the brothel and states that the NYPD is seeking a "parallel nuisance abatement order."

Despite the January raids on six prostitution-linked establishments, publicized with the presence of NYC Mayor Eric Adams and City Council member Francisco Moya, the Queens District Attorney's Office clarified that those operations led to no arrests. The lack of immediate action has drawn criticism from figures like Curtis Sliwa, founder of the Guardian Angels and a Republican mayoral candidate, who described such efforts as "show raids."

Sliwa, who joined Fox News Digital and Frías on a tour of the area, argued that the continuous lawbreaking would not be tolerated in wealthier parts of the city like Manhattan. He declared the tolerance for such activities stems from the neighborhood's impoverished status in the eyes of many New Yorkers, a stance he passionately denounced.

This glaring disparity in law enforcement continues to frustrate local residents who feel abandoned by their elected leaders and law enforcement, calling for immediate and effective measures to restore order to their community.