Mariah Carey's sister arrested on prostitution charges

Following a sting operation conducted by police, Alison Carey, 55, was arrested in upstate New York for "soliciting money in exchange for sexual favors," according to a local media outlet.

Estranged sister of pop star Mariah Carey, Alison Carey was arrested on Friday at a hotel in Saugerties, New York, reported the Daily Freeman. (Her alleged arrest photo from the Saugerties police is pictured above, right.)

A police officer is said to have posed as a client when they caught her.

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Alison told police after the arrest that she was related to the Grammy-winning star, according to Saugerties Police Chief Joseph Sinagra, who spoke with the local paper. Sinagra described the woman as "transient."

A source presumably close to the famous songstress' camp told People that the revelation of the arrest is probably "very painful" for the pop star, saying that the two siblings have been estranged "for years."

"Mariah takes care of her entire family," claimed the source.

The police report said they observed Alison advertising her services online. The report said that in an ad posted on Friday, Alison wrote, "Im [sic] a pretty lady looking for guys who are looking to have some fun and get into a world of pleasure that other woman [sic] just cant [sic] provide two [sic] you."

Alison is also reported to have referenced her famous sister's 1995 hit "Fantasy" in the ad.

In the Daily Freeman, Sinagra also issued a health warning, saying that "based on their stories," that people who have had sex with Alison Carey in the past should refer to their doctors, "particularly if it was unprotected."

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Carey was arraigned in Saugerties Town Court and sent to Ulster County Jail, according to the local report. Her bail is said to be set at $1,000 and a court date on Aug. 30.