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.
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- juliemarieucla
- added this
- added August 06, 2008
- flag
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This is interesting because it is a bunch of baloney. The escort service was licensed by the city of Phoenix, one of the persons listed in this article was not employed or partners in the operation, but had an independent business and provided contracted services. He is now sitting in maximum security prison with a One Million Dollar Cash Bond. It will be a month before he gets out on a reduced bond.
All the girls were issued 1099's and paid taxes. What they did behind closed doors was their business and there were no expectations other than to "look pretty" as one former Diva put it. I question your motives for posting this on an international website.
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prostitution is prostitution... plain and simple
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What gives you the authority to say that the charges are correct and these people are guilty? They haven't gone to trial, yet their names and faces are scattered all over the net.
It may be "plain and simple" to you, but if you do not know the case, then it is not so plain or so simple. Unfortunately you are demonstrating your ignorance by blindly believing the media and the authorities.
If you bothered to follow this story you would see that the charges facing most of the 100 or so defendants are completely without merit, and that the prosecutors have NO CASE. So it is not plain and simple.
This was an effort by Maricopa county to seize property and hope they could catch someone in something in the process. Unfortunately they blew it and most of the people charged in the case will get off scott free due to a lack of evidence and poor police work.
My point is, why take a story like this, which has not been proven to be true, and expose it on a national base when there is no real evidence to back it up and no convictions?
Is this what America is coming to? A bunch of blind sheep being led by a corrupt government? If so I want no part of it
For the true facts of this case, go to:
At least that way you can make a more informed comment.
