Osceola County high schooteacher charged as prostitute

Associated Press ^ | 6/8/02

[LarryLied]

KISSIMMEE — A special education teacher has been arrested and charged with being an Internet-order prostitute.

Lisa Darnell, 29, who teaches job training for students with disabilities at Poinciana High School was arrested at her home Wednesday and charged with prostitution.

She allegedly ran an Internet escort service that is under investigation by the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation, a drug task force in Orange and Osceola counties.

Darnell advertised her services on the site, where she went by the name of "Sweet Kelly", said Bill Lutz, the agency's director. Authorities said they were able to link her to one act of prostitution through the escort site.

"Often in prostitution you would find people you'd least expect," Lutz said Friday.

He said that Darnell promised to remove the site after her arrest.

The agency found the site as part of its investigation of local area escort services, which the agency has gotten local phonebooks to delete because they are invariably fronts for prostitution, officials said.

"We've never found a legal escort service," said Lutz.

Darnell worked for the school district for five years. Before teaching at Poinciana High, she taught at Gateway High School and Deerwood Elementary. The school board is investigating her, spokeswoman Christi Session said. The school year is already over so Darnell isn't in the classroom now.

She was released Wednesday night on $5,000 bail.

Darnell has an unlisted phone number and could not be reached for comment Friday.

[CedarDave]

Ahh... The world's oldest profession. I'm libertarian when it comes to the war on drugs and sex (though I don't indulge in the former, and rarely in the latter). And spare me the flames on either. It appears (from experience in other countries/states) that properly regulated, societal problems in both areas can be overcome. Check out the headline and story in today's Reno daily:

Nevada’s newest brothel attracts many customers

(p.s. some one else can post the story on FR)

[Crowcreek]

The poor dear can always move to Washington D.C. to set up shop -- I hear it's legal there. Escort services, I mean.

[goldstategop]

What a waste of taxpayers' money. Look at this way: if she had a boyfriend and they exchanged money for sex that would be perfectly legal. But when she advertised an escort service on the Internet, that's suddenly a crime. In this day and age of mass homiciding terrorists, its nice to know where our law enforcement resources go --- to arresting people engaged in what's usually considered to be a victimless crime. What the heck, I feel a lot safer already.

[Thinkin' Gal]

Lisa Darnell, 29, who teaches job training for students with disabilities...

Oh my.

[CedarDave]

In Nevada, the Las Vegas escort services are always getting busted because prostitution is illegal, except in those counties that have passed regulations authorizing it, and then only in regulated brothels. And you're much more likely to pick up a STD from a girl you meet at a bar or dance joint (anywhere) than from the "girls" at one of the "houses" (eg. stringent physical exams, tested every 30 days, etc.).

[goldstategop]

Yup.... and during the summer months she was moonlighting as an escort girl.

[leadpenny]

We got a mug shot of this former internet entrepreneur?

[CedarDave]

From the article:

Two more women are expected to join the lineup today, Austin said. Women who join Nevada’s brothel industry, legal in all of the state’s rural counties, work as independent contractors, so she could not say for sure.

“My girls are real professional,” Austin said. “They will stay up 24 hours if they have to and get their sleep in the morning when it is not too busy.”

LOL!

[goldstategop]

In many European countries, there are "red light" districts where state licensed prostitutes can ply their trade. The idea is not to suppress human nature but to make sure its conducted in a legit and above board manner. Here in America we take the position that having sex for money is a crime and we try our darnest to stamp it out. We're not having any more luck than we are in the War On Drugs. All the same, let's shut the entire escort business or whatever name it might go by down so we can protect women's modesty from being violated by men at any price. That's what its all about.

[Hacksaw]

KISSIMMEE — A special education teacher has been arrested and charged with being an Internet-order prostitute.

Looks like the Libertarians have a candidate for County Comissioner!

[Sabertooth]

KISSIMMEE -- A special-education teacher at Poinciana High School is under investigation after her arrest Wednesday on a charge of prostitution.

Lisa Darnell, 29, teaches job training to students with disabilities in Osceola County schools. But authorities said she also operated an Internet escort service that caught the attention of the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation, a drug and vice task force of Orange and Osceola County police agencies.

"She had an Internet site that was advertising her services," said MBI Director Bill Lutz, who thought the site was taken down after her release. "They would make arrangements to meet over e-mail."

Police arrested Darnell at her home in Kissimmee, charging her in a prostitution incident that occurred last winter at an unnamed motel in Osceola County, Lutz said. She was released Wednesday night after posting $5,000 bail.

Osceola County schools have launched their own investigation.

For the past two years, Darnell has taught on-the-job training to students with disabilities at Poinciana High. Her role often took her away from school to work with the students at community businesses.

"They're getting hands-on experience about how it is out in the work force, and that teacher coordinated things and explained how it is out in the work force," said Dana Schafer, a spokeswoman for the school district.

Darnell, who could not be reached for comment, has worked for the district for five years. Before her assignment at Poinciana High, she taught at Gateway High School and Deerwood Elementary and worked in the special education department at the district office.

Letitia Stein can be reached at 407-931-5934 or lstein@orlandosentinel.com

Teacher charged as prostituteInvestigators say an Osceola schools job-training teacher advertised her services online. -->

LINK

[LarryLied]

I apologize for saying all teachers are socialists. Here is one who believes in free enterprise.

[Amelia]

GEEZ, Larry! Painting us all with the tar brush?

[LarryLied]

I used to paint all government teachers with a tar brush.Now I'm thinking honey and whipped cream...

[Amelia]

In this day and age of mass homiciding terrorists, its nice to know where our law enforcement resources go

At least it was the local yokels, not the FBI...

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

Osceola County high schooteacher charged as prostitute

The article doesn't even say how much she charged as prostitute.

[neverquit]

So, how do you run an escort business if you have an unlisted phone number?

[prisoner6]

Well her website 1enchantedeve.com seems to be down. Howver here is a post she left on a bbs in April.

Greetings all! I am recovered from an appendix surgery that I had about a month ago and am feeling much like myself again! I look forward to seeing all of my good friends from this board as well as making some new ones. I recently had some fun new pics done of me playing with my water hose. Check 'em out. Take care all and I look forward to seeing U soon.

Water hose...hmmm...Coud be a fun date.

prisoner6

[Amelia]

*sigh*