Arrest and Indictment of Martha Baena, a.k.a. Milena; Nancy Piedrahita, a.k.a. Natalie Montoya, Natalie; Gabriel Trujillo, a.k.a. Fernando Ruiz; Marino Piedrahita; Estela Tangarofi; and Dora Quintero, a.k.a. Melanie Campbell, Tiffany

September 7, 2000

SIX CHARGED WITH OPERATING LUCRATIVE PROSTITUTION ENTERPRISE, $102,000 IN "BRIBES" PAID DURING UNDERCOVER POLICE STING OPERATION

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown, joined by New York City Police Department Commissioner Bernard B. Kerik, announced today the arrest and indictment of six individuals on charges of operating a prostitution enterprise that netted about $2.0 million annually and paid over $102,000 in bribes to police officers whom they believed to be corrupt in order to protect their business from enforcement activities and to raid competing brothels.

District Attorney Brown said, "This case is a classic example of a so-called "controlled pad" where over the course of a nine month investigation officers pretended to be corrupt in order to gather the evidence that has lead to today's 111 count indictment. As this investigation shows, the age old criminal technique of seeking to corrupt law enforcers in order to further various criminal schemes has not disappeared. This kind of criminal activity is especially pernicious because it erodes public confidence in the police and encourages law breakers to be ever more brazen."

Police Commissioner Kerik said, "This investigation demonstrates that New York City police officers are not for sale - - not for $15 and not for $102,000. This case is about responding to the community and improving the quality of life in this city."

District Attorney Brown said, "It is alleged that the individuals involved paid $3,100 a week to what they thought were corrupt police officers to protect their criminal enterprise from law enforcement activities. It is also alleged that on four occasions they paid extra sums so that the police would raid neighboring brothels. The defendants are all charged under New York State's Organized Crime Control Act with Enterprise Corruption and face a sentence of up to twenty-five years in prison if convicted of that charge." The indictment also charges 100 counts of Bribery in the third degree and Promoting Prostitution in the third degree.

Arrested and indicted are: Martha Baena, 42, aka Milena of 713 NW 132 Court or 171 NW 85th Place, Miami, Florida who was taken into custody by Metro-Dade Police and NYPD yesterday in Florida; Nancy Piedrahita, 30, aka Natalie Montoya aka Natalie, of 57-36 64th Street, Maspeth; Gabriel Trujillo,30, aka Fernando Ruiz, of 99-26 41st Avenue, Corona; Marino Piedrahita, 33, of 57-36 64th Street, Maspeth; Estela Tangarofi of 82-05 58th Avenue, Middle Village and Dora Quintero, 28, aka Melanie Campbell aka Tiffany, of 55-28 Van Cleef Street, Corona. At the time of the arrests police executed eight search warrants seizing the records of the organization and arresting several others for prostitution.

According to the indictment, the defendant Martha Baena, is the owner and principal operator of two brothels located at 102-07 44th Avenue (later moved to 102-05) and 104-12 Roosevelt Avenue, respectively, and the defendant Nancy Piedrahita, managed the brothels on behalf of Baena, conferring with her frequently on the telephone. It is alleged that Baena lives in Miami, Florida and travels to New York frequently to look after the business. The other defendants allegedly served as lookouts, prostitutes and steerers for the organization.

It is alleged that one of the lookouts, Gabriel Trujillo, approached a police officer on December 2, 1999 and told him that the defendant Nancy Piedrahita, the manager, would pay money to "protect" the brothel at 102-07 44th Avenue in Corona from arrests. The police officer immediately reported the bribe attempts to his supervisor and two undercover officers met with Ms. Piedrahita the next day and each was given $1,000. At the meeting it was agreed that the defendants would pay $2100 per week to the undercovers and later an additional $1,000 to protect the Roosevelt Avenue location from raids. During the course of the investigation, the Ms. Piedrahita allegedly paid 55 bribes to police totaling $102,200 on behalf of the organization.

District Attorney Brown said, "The nine month investigation, which included the use of court authorized eavesdropping and other sophisticated surveillance techniques is part of a continuing effort by NYPD and the Queens District Attorney's Office to eliminate houses of prostitution and street prostitution in neighborhoods like Jackson Heights, Corona, Elmhurst, and other areas. The initiative - - a revitalized "Roosevelt Avenue Task Force" which has been in existence since 1991 when I first became District Attorney - - is designed to bring to civil as well as criminal sanctions against brothel owners and operators as well as the operators of other establishments that destroy neighborhoods. For example, over the last two years my office's Civil Enforcement Bureau has brought eviction proceedings in 966 cases, 263 of them against brothels, using the state's Bawdy House Law. The effort supports the thousands of prostitution arrest cases prosecuted in Criminal Court."

According to the indictment, the brothels were divided up into a waiting area and cubicles. The fee was $30 and was given to the manager. Upon receiving the fee, the manager noted the name of the prostitute and placed a mark next to her name on the day's ledger. The manager also punched a card issued to the prostitute with a simple hole punch. The prostitute then took the client to the cubicle she was using that day. The client was expected to give a tip to the prostitute and then leave. At the end of her shift, or at a later time, the prostitute was paid by the manager $15 for each punch on her card. The manager would then reconcile the ledger with the so called "punch card". There were at least 28 prostitutes working at the two brothels with double that number on the weekends.

In addition to the criminal charges, District Attorney Brown's Civil Enforcement Bureau today has filed a civil lawsuit seeking forfeiture $1.73 million dollars as the proceeds of their criminal enterprise.

The investigation leading to the arrest was conducted by detectives assigned to the Queens Vice Enforcement Squad which is under the command of Captain Kevin Grasing and Lt. Michael Sheehaan and detectives of the Internal Affairs Bureau under the supervision of Captain Robert Hertman and Lt. Michael Horlick. Supervising the investigation were Sgts. Daniel Luciano and Arthur Belovin of Queens Vice and Sgt. Kenneth Leonas of the Internal Affairs Bureau. Detectives Jason Houlihan, Lisa Pomerance and Police Officers Jorge Ortiz, Joseph Chimienti, Michael Kazlavskas, Willie Perez and Chris Verdejo carried out the investigation. Captain Michael O'Hara and Sgt. Robert Kwalwasse of the New York Police Department Asset Forfeiture Unit has also assisted in the investigation.

Assistant District Attorneys Anthony M. Communiello and Oscar W. Ruiz who head the District Attorney's Civil Enforcement Bureau and Assistant District Attorneys James Liander and Carmencita Gutierrez who head the District Attorney's Integrity Bureau which is under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Investigations Peter A. Crusco presented the matter to the Grand Jury and are in charge of the prosecution.

District Attorney Brown also acknowledged the assistance of the New York City Department of Buildings in the investigation who yesterday ordered the premises closed because of unsafe conditions.

It should be noted that an indictment is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.