Posted on 01/19/2006 6:39:43 AM PST by KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle
A well-liked Chicago family dentist let pimps rent out his Marina Towers condos so hookers could turn tricks there and stayed after hours at his downtown dental office to fix the teeth of battered prostitutes for free, the feds charged Wednesday.
Gary Kimmel, 56, allegedly pocketed $400,000 from two pimps from 2002 to 2005 and, in return, let them and prostitutes use about a dozen luxury cars, including Lexus, Mercedes and Corvettes, he allegedly bought for their use. The bizarre charges allege an intermingling of Kimmel's work as a dentist with the prostitutes.
Kimmel was indicted in an international prostitution ring that's part of a national probe called "Innocence Lost." He's specifically charged with one money laundering count and one count of interstate transportation of unlawful proceeds in aid of racketeering.
Kimmel operates his own dental practice at 233 E. Erie in Chicago, which he opened in 2002. He previously worked with another dentist from 1989 to 2002. That dentist cooperated with authorities.
Kimmel owns nine condos at Marina Towers, 300 N. State Street, still lives there with his wife and family and is a longtime condo board member. The feds say he accepted rent from an alleged pimp named Robert Lewis Young, who was also charged in the case. Last year Kimmel sold a 10th condo used by prostitutes, according to charges.
The pimps Kimmel is charged with aiding allegedly used violence to draw in underage girls in some cases and in others to force girls to continue the work. On tape recordings, the pimps refer to Kimmel as "Doc." Various wiretaps outlined in an FBI complaint indicate Kimmel knew who he was dealing with.
When a prostitute fails to return one of Kimmel's cars, a pimp vows he'll set her straight.
"When it comes to me and you, and take care of real business, I'll cut all them legs off for you," the pimp said.
"I'm glad to hear that," Kimmel allegedly said on the wiretap.
One prostitute told the FBI a pimp brought her to Chicago from Hawaii and when she got here, Kimmel cleaned her teeth.
A confidential informant told the feds that a pimp brought young women into Kimmel's downtown dental office after hours to perform thousands of dollars of free dental work on them. The women were 17 to 20, possibly younger, and often had bruises on their faces or a tooth missing "apparently from being recently punched in the mouth," according to a criminal complaint.
Kimmel's lawyer, Joseph R. Lopez, said his client didn't know illicit activity was going on in the condos he leased out. "The guy was a tenant; that's how he met him," Lopez said of the alleged pimp.
As for the cars, Lopez said they were stored in Michigan and unauthorized drivers got behind the wheel. He said Kimmel kept patient files on the women who received dental services.
"I don't know who paid for it but there's patient files," Lopez said.
Neighbors and clients said they were stunned by the allegations, calling Kimmel a nice normal guy and a "topflight" dentist.
Beverly Moy, who lives on Kimmel's floor, never noticed anything suspicious. She said Kimmel has resided in Marina Towers for a decade and is married with a new baby and two elementary-age kids.
"You'd be in a room of people and you'd think he was just like the guy next door," Moy said.
tee-hee.
Hey Tom -- who's your dentist??
He he he!!!
Is it safe?
Whoops -- I forgot -- thanks for the ping! LOL
My pleasure, as the dentist said to the prostitute.
ROFLMAO!!!!!
he he he
you said cavities!
"Well Crystal, how was your trip to the denist?"
"It wasn't all that bad, He gave me the gas and then I had two pulled and one filled."
On my last trip to the doctor I got an anal exam. Just stuck his finger in there without warning. Said everything felt ok.
I still feel kind of funny about it. That's last time I'll ever use that dentist again.
The REAL question here is...
Are they safe?
Inter-de-pendent.
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