Arizona's largest Prostitution Bust

PHOENIX -- Fifty people have been charged in connection with a major three-state prostitution ring based in the Valley, authorities said on Tuesday.

Investigators said among those arrested was Valley physician Ross Levatter. Authorities said he was not only a customer, but he had a say in the hiring and firing of the prostitutes.
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Levatter was booked on charges of conspiracy to control an illegal enterprise, illegal control of an enterprise, first-degree money laundering and operating a house of prostitution.

Phoenix police said Tuesday night that 22 other people have been arrested so far with a total of 10 search warrants served in the Phoenix area.

Police said they seized three homes, a variety of guns and eight vehicles, including a Ferrari.

"This is by far the largest prostitution investigation in the history of the state of Arizona," said Phoenix Police Chief Jack Harris.

Paul Nichta, 32, ran Night Entertainment Partners, an umbrella organization that provided prostitutes through Web sites such as Desert Divas, AZ Confidential, Hips Tours and Escorts In Action, police said.

The escorts were recruited by Nichta through ads in the New Times and Web sites promising escorts incomes of up to $30,000 a month, according to a probable cause statement.

Two former escorts told police they made about $2,000 a night, but could also earn an additional $15,000 a night in tips, the statement said.

According to investigators, the organization involved more than 100 people -- mostly prostitutes, but with many in management roles. The organization served hundreds of customers and filmed pornographic acts with the prostitutes that were available online, police said.

Clients ordered services through the various Web site, investigators said.

The operation was based in midtown Phoenix and also included a pornographic Web site which showed "Escort Reviews," the statement said. Once a week, Nichta would hold so called "meet and greets" at Valley restaurants so that prospective customers could meet the escorts in person, the statement said.

According to records obtained through a joint investigation by the Phoenix Police Department and the Maricopa County attorney's office, Nichta allegedly led a criminal enterprise that made bank deposits of $250,000 a month, the county attorney's office said in a statement.

"The money generated from these illegal ventures helps fund other criminal enterprises such as drug and smuggling operations," said Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon.

Phoenix police, working on a tip they said they received from Scottsdale police, started the investigation about a year ago in cooperation with the county attorney's office. The investigation included financial records, computer records and interviews with former escorts.

Police said the investigation has connections to Philadelphia and Albuquerque, N.M. Philadelphia Police Department vice detectives arrested one suspect in the case; the Albuquerque Police Department Vice Unit conducted a search on the Desert Divas New Mexico office Monday and arrested several suspects.

On Monday, Valley police and deputies served nine search warrants; arrested nine of the top members of the organization; and seized three residences, eight vehicles -- including a Ferrari 43C CP -- and one motorcycle, authorities said.

The others arrested besides Nichta and Levatter were Scott Eder, 35; Peter Shifman, 56; Billi Mayfield, 19; Adam Beech, 25; Charles Sanders, 29; Louis Sterling, 55; William Ferretti, 65; and Chloe Magouliotis, 23.

Some women have also been arrested on prostitution charges, investigators said, and they expect arrests to continue in the weeks ahead.

"This investigation successfully targeted a large scale, sophisticated organization dealing in prostitution and pornography, which are often referred to as 'victimless crimes,'" Harris said.