BECKLEY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – A simple traffic stop in downtown Beckley has led to an investigation into prostitution solicitation after two individuals admitted to exchanging cash for sexual acts.
On April 21, 2025, an officer pulled over a vehicle in the 200 block of Main Street for an expired registration that hadn’t been renewed since April 2020. During the stop, the responding officer noticed unusual behavior from both the driver and passenger. A K-9 unit was called to the scene, and the dog alerted to the scent of narcotics coming from the vehicle, prompting a full search.
While no drugs were ultimately found, officers discovered more than they expected. During questioning, the driver, Wendell Pettry, admitted he had picked up the female passenger, Kylie Dufour, from a Sheetz gas station on Robert C. Byrd Drive and offered her $20 in cash for sexual favors. He stated the act occurred near Beckley Hospital. The passenger confirmed the story in a separate conversation with officers.
Both statements were captured on body-worn cameras. After completing the search and interviews, police released the individuals at the scene.
Neither the driver nor the passenger had any prior criminal history. Both are charged with solicitation of prostitution, a first-offense charge for both parties. Dufour was arrested back at the end of April of 2025.
The incident remains under investigation by the Beckley Police Department.
