Police arrested 15 people during an undercover prostitution sting in Monroe County on Thursday.

The county District Attorney's office said 12 men and three women were taken into custody as a result of the sting operation.

The operation took place at a Quality Inn hotel located near Interstate 80 in Stroudsburg.

Officers posted ads on the "adult entertainment>escorts" section of backpage.com, advertising sex.

The 'johns' were each taken into custody after arriving at the hotel, meeting with an undercover officer posing as a prostitute, and discussing a price for sex.

They also responded to other ads placed by women advertising sex. Those women were then met at the hotel by undercover officers who took them into custody.

The male defendants were all charged with patronizing a prostitute. Police identified them as Frank Cordero Jr., 40, of Bronx, New York, Randy Cramer, 49, of Saylorsburg, Joseph Esgro, 36, of Scranton, Donald Gower, 60, of Gilbert, Dalvin Harper, of Mount Pocono, Gary Hunter, 53, of Hyde Park, New York, Andre Hylton, 33, of East Stroudsburg, Michael Kosmoski, 61, of Macungie, Luis Latorre, 35, of Pocono Summit, Carlos Miranda, 43, of East Stroudsburg, John Schmitt, 53, of Bangor, and Gnanasakaran Varunan, 37, of Bushkill. Police said Esgro was also charged with DUI.

The women who came to the hotel have been charged with prostitution. Police identified them as Janet Croom, 46, of Staten Island, NY, Tia Fitch, 23, of Saylorsburg, and Lauren Rushton, 30, of Wilkes-Barre.

They were each arrested and released pending a future court appearance.