Police start shutting down phone lines of escort services

WSMV Television online ^ | 3/5/04

[Merdoug]

"Nashville police have shut down phone lines for several escort services in an effort to combat prostitution. The move is believed to be the first of its kind in Tennessee."

[Merdoug]

I hope that I posted this correctly. I think there's something wrong with a State Government "forcing" a company from giving service to another company. I do not condone prostitution, but where will this end? Will government "decide" which companies can do buisness with another?

[jigsaw]

Thanks. I thought the problem was MY phone.

(Just kidding)

[68skylark]

Bastards!

[Cold Heat]

Will government "decide" which companies can do buisness with another?

The last I checked, prostitution was still illegal.

[SauronOfMordor]

If they had the evidence to shut them down, they would have raided them and shut them down. By the fact that they have to resort to this, it indicates they haven't enough evidence to make an arrest -- yet they can pressure a utility to stop service

[templar]

If they had the evidence to shut them down, they would have raided them....yet they can pressure a utility to stop service

Not as bad as the title makes it sound. It wasn't a case of the police coercing the phone company to damage someone without legal process. They did get a court order to remove the phone service, they did establish that these 'businesses' were directly involved in prostitution (their purpose) and they did make prostitution and propmotion of prostitution arrests. They pretty much established that the phone lines were used for the purpose of promoting illegal activity (prostitution).

[Admin Moderator]

Please include orgininal titles.

[zarf]

Being a former bartender at a well known Nashville hotel I can tell you that alot of the hotels business came from these escort services. The clientele of these ladies would surprise many.

Local Democratic pols and Republican operatives who visited during the 2000 election partook in the services of these young lasses.

Not mention some fine, upstanding "religious" gentlemen who indulge themselves.

[jdontom]

One of the Ladies......

[breakem]

Thank God! I feel much safer now.

[Lawgvr1955]

I wondered why my "girlfriend's" number was out of service when I tried to call.

[The Great RJ]

If gay marriage is a Constitutional right whats wrong with prostitution? If everyone is of age and agrees to the arrangement what should the government care?? It's my right of privacy.

[Merdoug]

Or,...if smoking or over-eating are bad for you, why are they not illegal like prostitution? Afterall, I thought the whole reason for it being illegal was the "damage" that it does to our sociaty and the individuals.

[Skooz]

When I was in college, and I did not want to be disturbed while studying for finals, I used to call-forward my calls to a local escort service.

I got a kick out of my friends calling me but instead getting some low-voiced hottie saying, "Hellooo?"

[Johnny_Cipher]

Three words:

Prepaid cell phones.

[Bilbo Baggins]

The last I checked, prostitution was still illegal.

Then arrest them on that charge and let the courts decide.

Since when was it illegal for someone to call another person or some business?

[sharktrager]

Persons trying to call Playboy Escorts, Toy Tiger Escorts, Centerfold Models, Satin and Silk or one of 102 other Nashville escort service telephone numbers are going to be hearing the same woman’s voice…a telephone company recording saying that the line called has been disconnected.


Chief Ronal Serpas Friday announced the culmination of a six-month Vice Division investigation into escort services that advertise in the Yellow Pages.

The investigation, which involved numerous escorts visiting undercover police operatives in area motels, found that the businesses serve as fronts for prostitution. The 106 telephone lines have been disconnected by court order.

“Organized prostitution puts both the women and their customers at extreme risk and is frequently connected to other illegal activity,” Chief Ronal Serpas said.

“It’s no secret that the Metropolitan Police Department is very serious about taking action against businesses like this,” Serpas said, noting that scores of massage parlors and other prostitution-related businesses have been shutdown over the past two years thanks to the work of a small component of detectives in the Vice Division headed by Sergeant Rob Forrest.

Subpoenas to the telephone company during the Yellow Page investigation found that the 106 telephone lines were controlled by essentially eight persons or groups.

For example, Nashville accountant Robert Yeargin, 59, maintained 26 telephone lines at his 3062 Jenry Drive home in Donelson. Among the escort services listed to those 26 numbers were A One Escorts, Bikini’s Escorts, Nights Passion and Asian Exotic Escorts.

Yeargin, or a person acting on his behalf, would send women to places specified by callers. A woman sent to the hotel room of an undercover police operative after he called Playmates, one of Yeargin’s services, agreed to perform a sex act for $200. Yeargin was arrested Tuesday on a charge of promoting prostitution.

The investigation found that Casablanca Escort Services maintained 31 telephone lines under such businesses as Bahama Beauties, Soft Touch Escort Service, Betty Boop’s and Blazing Star. Charges are expected in the near future against three persons connected with Casablanca.

The investigation revealed that RRR Enterprises maintained five telephone lines. The base of the operation was a home at 106 Lakewood Drive. Three persons, Monette Reynolds, 25, Kevin O. Dale, 30, and Kristi Carnduff, 23, have been charged with promoting prostitution in connection with the activities of RRR Enterprises.

The investigation showed that Timothy Dean Blakeley, 43, maintained 18 telephone lines under such business names as Barbie’s, About Town Escorts, and Debbie’s. An arrest warrant charging Blakeley with promoting prostitution has been issued. He was charged with the same offense in 1999.

The investigation revealed that Debra Kay Simmons, 38, maintained three telephone lines under the names City Escorts, Escorts of the 90’s and Millennium Escorts. An arrest warrant charging Simmons with promoting prostitution is outstanding.

The investigation showed that Robert S. Kostzuta, 47, and Lena Kostzuta, 37, operated two escort services under the names Allysin’s Escorts and Blue Butterfly Escorts. Arrest warrants charging them with promoting prostitution are outstanding.

The investigation revealed that Holly C. Featherman, 34, had one Yellow Page ad in the name of Unforgettable Referrals. An arrest warrant charging her with promoting prostitution is outstanding.

The investigation showed that Dellanne V. Smitty, 54, had 20 telephone lines under names such as Tigerann Escorts & Dancers, AAA Vegas Style Fantasies and Andrea’s Maids. Smitty has been arrested for promoting prostitution.

Undercover operatives made deals for sex with women representing escort services with telephone numbers identified as belonging to each of the eight persons or groups.

© 1999-2003, Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County

[raloxk]

dude:

this is no different than arresting prostitutes on the street. I am not sure what your complaint is, if the act is illegal in TN.

[Cold Heat]

Phones are regulated by the same govt. that called prostitution a crime.

Selling services to a criminal enterprise, once one is warned about it, is something that they can indeed regulate under law.

[raloxk]

oh she is a sexy one.