Just a little info on one of the latest busts out there. Names and faces have been posted.
Be careful out in Philly.
[url]http://www.phillyburbs.com/my_town/langhorne/feasterville-man-charged-in-mummers-prostitution-bust/article_dd6877cf-f79b-5084-b052-ea288f56683a.html[/url]
[quote]Posted: Thursday, October 13, 2011 12:00 pm | Updated: 4:22 pm, Thu Oct 13, 2011.
PHILADELPHIA — A 65-year-old Feasterville man has been charged in connection with running a prostitution ring inside a Mummers clubhouse in South Philadelphia.
Lawrence XXXXXXXX, of the unit block of Fourth Street, was charged with promoting prostitution, conspiracy and unlawful sales of liquor, according to court documents.
He is awaiting a preliminary hearing on the charges in Philadelphia. He was released on his own recognizance, court records show.
Police were led to the operation at the clubhouse of the Downtowners Fancy Brigade by an anonymous tip.
It is charged that XXXXXXXX got the women for Tuesday night events.
The Courier Times was unsuccessful in contacting XXXXXXXX for comment.
Several neighbors on his quiet Feasterville street said Wednesday they never heard of him. A Lower Southampton police official also said he never heard of XXXXXXXX.
Following a six-week undercover investigation, Philadelphia police went to the clubhouse Tuesday night. They were told by a tipster that prostitutes were at the clubhouse on the second Tuesday of every month, according to the Associated Press.
When undercover officers arrived, they paid a $30 cover charge for beer and other food and found 50 to 60 men and about 15 to 20 women inside. Many of the women were naked and performing sex acts, the undercover cops told Philadelphia Deputy Police Commissioner William Blackburn.
The undercover officers were offered sex for money and sex acts were being performed in public view, police said. The women were charging between $30 and $100 for each act, police added.
Police raided the club and seized more than $4,000 in cash and about 1,500 containers of beer and liquor, according to court documents.
Two other men arrested, Alfred XXXXXXXX. 44, and John XXXXXXXX. 56, are club officials, police said. Police identified XXXXXXXX as a steward and XXXXXXXX as a financial secretary.
Police said the club does not have a liquor license and added both men face liquor violations and criminal conspiracy, similar to XXXXXXXX.
Meanwhile. 10 women were charged with prostitution, police said.
In a statement, the Philadelphia Mummers Association said it was shocked and denied any connection to the alleged prostitution ring.
'This was not a Mummers' prostitution rings nor a Downtowners Fancy Brigade prostitution rings, ' according to the statement. The statement went on to say officials were 'shocked' by the alleged behavior of the group that rented out the club.
'If the allegations are true, the Mummers and the Downtowners organization are as much victims of this as anyone, ' according to the statement.
The annual Mummers Parade, often called Philadelphia's Mardi Gras, is a century-old Philadelphia tradition in which costumed revelers March through the city every New Year's Day[/quote]
