A Clark County firefighter could lose his job after his arrest for being with an underage prostitute.

According to Eyewitness News sources, the fire department's upper management is going through the process to determine if fire fighter Fernando Zorrilla should be fired.

Click here to read about Zorrilla's three prostitution-related arrests.

He was arrested near Tropicana and the Strip, an area that has become a hotbed for prostitution. In the police report, the prostitute said this was the place for sex.

They scamper across streets, pretend to wait at bus stops, wave at honking cars and even admit they are prostitutes.

They waved at Bruno Espinosa, who works in the area and says; "There is a lot of traffic in that area so you have to stop and eventually they will come by your car and wave at you."

It makes him smirk. But the number of streetwalkers isn't so amusing to Rene who lives there. She says it used to be pretty quiet, but now hookers run the place. She says 50 of them out on the street every night with their pimps and johns. She doesn't feel safe.

Rene said, "I have to put my hair up in a pony tail, tuck it up underneath a hat, wear a big sweater to just walk my dog. I can't walk around like this."

Reporter: "What happens if you do?"

Rene: "Oh, I get harassed -- hey hey and whistle at me -- come here, come here. I couldn't even get to my door the other day because there were three pimps sitting there in the front."

So, why has this area become so popular for prostitution?

In March,  a key law was ruled unconstitutional and police couldn't arrest suspected prostitutes. Word spread fast. Big time pimps kicked out the local ones and prostitutes are pouring, in even on buses. Rene's seen it.

Rene said, "There was literally 50 hookers on just this block. Fifty of them from California. They drop them off in the parking lot. They are staying at the weekly here."

The county has responded by ammending the law this month. It just takes a while for word to spread that police can arrest prostitutes again.

Every year since 2003 the number of arrests for prostitution in that area has topped 4,000. This year Metro says it expects to make 5,000 arrests for prostitution.

Email reporter Ky Plaskon at kplaskon@klastv.com

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