Recent Articles, Posts, and News: Alycia Martin

Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Woman arrested in sex sting asks judge to end case
Jennifer Chambers / The Detroit News
TROY -- The woman arrested in a prostitution sting involving the spouse of U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow has no money to comply with the terms of her probation and is asking a judge to close her case.

Alycia Martin is unemployed, receives no financial support from her family and has no money to pay for drug and alcohol screens, monthly probation fees for her case or for the gasoline to get to the court-ordered appointments, her lawyer Frank Cusumano Jr. said.

Martin, arrested Feb. 26 at the Residence Inn and charged with prostitution, was allowed to plead guilty to the lesser charge of trespassing. Troy District Court Judge William Bolle placed Martin, who was 20 at the time of the offense, on probation under the state's Youthful Trainee Act, which allows her criminal record to become nonpublic if she completes six months of probation.

Compliance with the random screens, monthly probation fees and fuel expenses will cost Martin $745 over the six-month probationary period. If Martin -- who is more than five months pregnant -- cannot pay for the drug tests, Cusumano says, she risks violating probation and going to jail.

"Ms. Martin does not want to go to jail, especially pregnant," Cusumano wrote in a motion to the court requesting that Martin's probation be shortened from six months to time served.
Cusumano also is asking the judge to consider the alternatives of allowing Martin to pay the fees at the end of the case or to revoke her Youthful Trainee Act status and sentence her immediately.

Troy City Attorney Lori Bluhm said she had no objections to the requests.

Martin's case made national headlines when Stabenow's husband, Thomas Athans, was questioned and released as part of the investigation into a prostitution ring at the Troy hotel.
Athans, who was pulled over by Troy police the night of Feb. 26, admitted to officers during a traffic stop that he met a woman online and paid her $150 for oral sex at the hotel. Troy police learned Athans had a suspended driver's license but released him without arrest, expecting his cooperation in the criminal case against Martin.

Athans was never charged in the case and never testified. Martin, whose lawyers attempted to get the case dismissed, did not provide police information on whom she worked for.
Martin's motion is to be heard Nov. 4.

You can reach Jennifer Chambers at (248) 647-7402 or jchambers@detnews.com.

OTHER LINKS

http://www.experienceproject.com/uw.php?e=348668

http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2008/07/26/2008-07-26_in_prostitution_raids_lets_remember_men_-2.html

Celebrity Insider - Photos And News: Alycia Martin Causes Heartache To Senator

http://www.alyciamartin.blogspot.com/

Open Letter to People of Southeastern Michigan

I am willing to work, and I am not looking for a hand out. I want to work. I want to be proud that I can do it on my own. I am just having trouble finding a job in this economy so I thought maybe someone out there knows a place that is hiring or has a business that could use a dedicated, reliable and honest young woman. I "have" to work vs. just working. When you "have" to work you always show up cause you can't afford not to.The City of Troy has me paying probation oversight fees of $300 that I am already behind on. Judge Bolle ordered drug testing and I have passed the tests, but they charge $25 per test, and I did not have enough money for gas to get to Troy, so I was charged $45 for the last test closer. I told my probation officer, and now the lab is charging me on account for the tests. I am going to owe alot when this is over, if Judge Bolle doesn't just violate me for not paying the fees. I don't want to go to jail again, but if I can't find a job, the Judge in Troy will probably find me in violation of probation and I'll be sent to jail.I am trying to better myself, not sell myself. I will not resort to selling drugs or my body, or anything illegal. I am honest and hard working. If you can help me with employment I can guarantee you will not regret it. I have experience in many areas and I am willing to do what it takes to prove myself in this society and economy. Please contact me if you can find it in your heart to extend a job not a hand out, I am not a charity, please don't get me wrong, I am simply trying to work for what I have and basic needs. I am not looking for a gift. Any job leads can be directed to my attorney at frankcusumanojr@gmail.com.

Ypsilanti's Response to Prostitution - Enforce Laws Equally Against Johns and Prostitutes and Provide Services To Get Prostitutes Off the Streets.

Ypsilanti Township steps up prostitution crackdown

by Tom Gantert The Ann Arbor News
Sunday October 19, 2008, 8:15 AM
LEISA THOMPSON THE ANN ARBOR NEWS

During stings conducted from April 18 to Oct. 2, more than 20 prostitution arrests were made at the corner of East Michigan Avenue and Johnson Road in Ypsilanti Township.
Along East Michigan Avenue in Ypsilanti Township, business owners say prostitutes are part of the landscape.

They loiter, day and night, waiting for men to stop and pick them up.
Vinay Lakhnkia said he got so fed up that he banned known prostitutes from his business, A&W Party Store, because they solicited customers. Last year, Lakhnkia said, prostitution was rampant on East Michigan Avenue. "It was like ants," he said.

But earlier this year, Ypsilanti Township officials took aim at the problem, using an approach that includes arresting prostitutes and their customers, as well as providing services to get prostitutes off the streets.

*******

"You know where there is a prostitute, there is a dope guy," Hage said. "The dope goes with it."
Radzik said the township's efforts center on enforcement and follow-up.
Undercover sting operations are nothing new. But taking aim at the "johns" and trying to help the prostitutes is a different approach.

When deputies catch men soliciting prostitutes - or undercover female deputies posing as streetwalkers - they confiscate their vehicles. For $750 and a promise not to return, police will agree not to go forward with civil forfeiture proceedings to permanently take the car, Radzik said."

*****

Glynnis Anderson, director of Home of New Visions, regularly visits the county jail to meet with as many as 10 women being held on prostitution charges.
Anderson assesses which women most need housing and mental health counseling and reports her findings to the court.

Home of New Visions offers six-month and 12-month programs, individual and group therapy, and temporary housing.

Anderson said three former prostitutes are in the program.

"Prior to what we are doing now, they would be back on the strip prostituting again," Anderson said.

Full story at http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2008/10/ypsilanti_township_steps_up_pr.html

Alycia and Cousin Jacob Christmas 2007

Unfortunately the reality, often forgotten by people in the media and "media buffs" which follow certain cases they consider salacious or "newsworthy," is that people like Alycia caught up in the "news cycle" are real people, with families and lives. The circumstances of Alycia Martin's arrest and criminal case, when put into this perspective, are not really that important.

Despite all the issues of the past, and lost contact, her relatives still made contact with attorney Cusumano. Alycia's Aunt Karen requested that a scan picture of Alycia and her cousin Jacob be put on this page.

To love and be loved is what brings joy to the heart.

The picture is from Christmas 2007.

New York Daily News Article, July 26, 2008

In prostitution raids, let's remember men break the law, too
BY ANGELA BONAVOGLIA
Saturday, July 26th 2008, 6:18 PM
Last week yet another Manhattan prostitution ring was busted. Operating out of the reportedly "posh," "plush" and "swanky" Hot Lap Dance Club, the operation run by lawyer Louis Posner catered to the last survivors of a crashing economy, the attorneys and Wall Streeters willing to pay up to $5,000 for some private time with the club's dancers.
A raid on the club's W. 38th St. loft headquarters netted 21 people, including Posner, his wife and 19 other club employees on charges ranging from money laundering to promoting prostitution. Among those arrested were four female dancers.
What was most interesting about this sting is that report after report simply stated that "no client was arrested," "no customer was cuffed." Period. No story detailed why no johns were nabbed, or even explained who the johns were or what they were doing during the raid.
Like so much of the handling of prostitution in the U.S., this latest legal sledgehammer landed nowhere near the protected heads of the johns who keep these businesses afloat.
Since buying sex is just as illegal as selling it in New York City, the johns should not get off scot-free.
In New York City, arrests for prostitution and loitering for purposes of prostitution are made at twice the rate of arrests for patronizing a prostitute. And while more than 50% of those prostitution charges result in convictions, a mere 5% of charges for patronizing do.
The picture is the same or worse nationally. And the women arrested have long included girls under the age of 18. While underage girls are forbidden by law to even consent to sex, they are charged as prostitutes and imprisoned, even as the men who pay to have sex with them - often fully aware and even turned on by the fact that they're underage - rarely set foot in a criminal court. It's time for Gov. Paterson to change this situation and sign the Safe Harbor Act, which would put young girls picked up for prostitution into social programs instead of being arrested.
Doing so would offer these minors a chance at a better life, and would prove to New Yorkers that Paterson cannot be swayed by the position of Mayor Bloomberg, who asserts the only way to keep kids safe and to prevent them from running away from programs is to keep them locked up. And the Safe Harbor Act would be a good complement to New York's new anti-trafficking law, which increased patronizing a prostitute from a Class B to a Class A misdemeanor carrying a maximum one-year prison sentence.
In 1979, Mayor Ed Koch ordered the city-owned radio station WNYC to read the names of convicted johns in a segment he called "The John Hour." While it didn't last, it was at least an attempt to level the playing field.
New York is not alone. A review of prostitution arrests in California's Sacramento County revealed an alarming gender bias. According to arrest data compiled by Sacramento Bee reporters Phillip Reese and Ryan Lillis over three months, Sacramento city police and county sheriff's deputies arrested 210 prostitutes but only two of their customers.
The extraordinarily sexist state of affairs reached its zenith recently when Thomas Athans, husband of Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), was observed by cops entering and leaving a hotel in Troy, Mich., that was under surveillance for prostitution. Athans confessed to paying $150 for oral sex. Athans, 47, was not arrested. The 21-year-old prostitute was. Adding insult to injury, Athans was expected to testify against the woman at her evidentiary hearing! She pleaded guilty, and Athans never had to appear.
In some states, johns can go to john school in exchange for having their arrest records expunged, an option not routinely available to women convicted of prostitution.
After the Hot Lap Dance Club raid, the door to the club was padlocked. According to one report, a "disappointed young customer" standing outside said that the place was "f-----' awesome," and that it was "the greatest establishment."
You have to wonder if he would have felt that way if he were spending the night behind bars.
Bonavoglia, who writes about women's issues, is the author of "Good Catholic Girls: How Women are Leading the Fight to Change the Church."

Alycia Martin Sentenced - HYTA Probation Six Month Term

Alycia Martin was sentenced on August 12, 2008, on the Troy City ordinance violation of trespassing. Judge Bolle of the 52-4 District Court granted Alycia's attorney's Motion to have her sentenced her under the Holmes Youthful Trainee Act, which allows a defendant to be assigned "youthful trainee" status if the offense was committed before the Defendant's 21st birthday. Alycia was given six months and cannot leave the state other then to attend her father's wedding in Las Vegas, NV. She must also continue her education and seek and maintain employment.

Although not required to speak before her sentencing, Alycia accepted responsibility for her actions in Court. Alycia continues to heal physically, spiritually and emotionally, and the process of accepting responsibility was another major step. Thomas Athans, on the other hand, was not required to appear in Court, face charges, or ever accept responsibility publicly, compliments of the Troy Police Department. In the video clip below, Alycia is asked about her thoughts about the refusal of the Troy Police to arrest, detain or inconvenience Athans. Alycia states that she has forgiven those involved, including the Troy Police involved, and "does not care" about the special treatment afforded Athans.

The picture above was taken just before sentencing. On Alycia's right arm is the bracelet which Julianne Cusumano gave her which reads, "Ask. Believe. Receive." Alycia has never taken this bracelet off since Julianne gave it to her. After sentencing, a tearful Alycia spoke to members of the media. A video clip from Fox 2 Detroit's Taryn Asher is below. Upon completion for the probationary term, this charge will be dismissed with no public record of the arrest or prosecution. Alycia looks forward to rebuilding her life. Alycia is thankful to Judge Bolle (Troy), Judge Faunce (Warren), and Judge Mack (Wayne) and for the thoughts and prayers of those who have followed her case. Her hopes are to continue to live in Southeastern Michigan which she loves.

Michigan does not have a safety net for young people such as Alycia, either privately or publicly funded. In Toledo, OH. the University of Toledo has worked with the University of Michigan to establish "Second Chance," and Portland, Oregon has the Lola Greene Baldwin Foundation. Any persons interested in helping attorney Frank Cusumano, Jr. organize a foundation or non-profit for this purpose, should contact attorney Cusumano at frankcusumano@msn.com.

Click the following link for more information: http://www.change.org/changes/view/2632

Ironically, if Alycia was a few years younger, there would be federal funds and law enforcement action taken against the pimps and handlers, since there are federally funded programs for the protection of minors accused of prostitution.

Julianne Cusumano - Attended Every Hearing in Support of Alycia

Julianne Cusumano, Attorney Cusumano's wife of 18 years attended every hearing in support of Alycia.

Julianne is protective of Alycia and when Alycia was being hounded by the media and actually struck with a micophone to the face, stepped in shield Alycia from the assault. Julianne is a unique woman, "one in three billion" with whom Attorney Cusumano has four daughters and one son.

Julianne has given advice and counsel to Alycia, and just as important, has talked with her about everyday issues and topics apart from the case. Yes, there is a world out there outside this case, which Alycia lives, and Julianne has kept these facts in perspective and focus.

Job Search and GED Goal Continues

On July 25, 2008, and July 30, 2008, Alycia filled out job applications in bars and restaurants for any available positions as a server near the sports stadiums and arenas in downtown Detroit. Attorney Cusumano drove her there. Alycia hopes to find a job, buy a car, and rent an apartment or home. Alycia has also enrolled in Michigan Job Corps which will provide the GED review course, and hopefully other opportunities. Alycia is struggling to meet short term financial needs while she continues to rebuild her life. Any persons wishing to help her can make a donation may do so via paypal by clicking on the donation link at the top of the page or send to: supportalyciamartin@gmail.com.

Barring anyone gifting a car to Alycia, she will be saving money for a car. Anyone with a reliable used car can email information and contact frankcusumano@msn.com. Attorney Cusumano and his wife Julianne, have paid to obtain Alycia's birth certificate, Michigan Identification, rented a car for Alycia to take her driving test, paid all her fees at the Secretary of State Office, and driven(at $4.00 per gallon of gas) her between Westland, Troy and Warren on all her cases at no charge. Cusumano has handled all her cases pro-bono and has provided some groceries, an occasional meal, and other sundry assistance. Alycia wants to be financially independent, unfortunately, everyday expenses such as clothing, food and shelter continue to pour in, and without a car Alycia's progress towards that goal is slow. It is now a possibility and not a dream. Alycia's strength and will to improve her life continues to impress all around her. Alycia reminds Cusumano that she decided to make the call to him, and no one should mistake that Frank and Julianne Cusumano are in it with her for the long haul with this young woman.
The picture above is from an evidence CD in the Troy prosecution. Alyica has a natural radiant beauty, and perhaps a modeling career is possible. However, in the short term, as with each of us, the bills need to be paid, so the job search continues.
Persons not familiar or educated in the phenomenon of prostitution, the following is uncanningly illustrative of how, why, when and where these young people get drawn in:
"WHERE THE WORKERS COME FROM"
"The sex industry ultimately is about power. This is best demonstrated by the care with which the industry takes to ensure that those it uses are powerless. The predators are neither irrational nor stupid. They watch carefully for a kind of "victim profile," and avoid anyone who may be uncontrollable or dangerous.
They focus on young people coming out of families that are abusive, disorganized, or non-existent. One fundamental function of the family is protection of its members, especially its children. The family also is a team, and all players must do their jobs. If a member is lost or disabled, others in the extended family or community must step in to carry on. When one or more adults in a family are absent, addicted, mentally ill, or severely demoralized, the children are in danger.When the family is poor, or part of a devalued minority group, and opportunities for education and good jobs are limited, some members of those families may be willing to take risks. If the young people are being terrorized, beaten, or sexually abused by the very people who should be protecting them, many are going to take their chances on the street. For some, nude dancing or even prostitution may look better than no job at all." (excerpt with permission from How Prostitution Works By Joseph Parker, Clinical DirectorThe Lola Greene Baldwin Foundation. 2008)
Alycia was found by, and has found a responsible family/support network which will help her through the troubled waters of her recovery, and not let her drift away again. Although, by accident of birth she is "poor" and not a member of the "nobility," she is still entitled to a life free from fear and degradation. Hopefully, her blood relatives, other then her sister who has always been there for her, will someday reestablish contact.
Sometimes Cusumano calls Alycia and just says hello and asks her how she is doing. Maybe being around normal decent people is all it takes to change a young woman's life.

What the Troy Police Intentionally Inflicted on Alycia Martin, a "little person."

Recently a T-Shirt was put up for sale on the internet. It purports to be directed at Thomas Athans (since no one would even know who Alycia Martin is otherwise) however, Thomas Athans is not mentioned, depicted in picture, or otherwise referenced, on the shirt. This is because Thomas Athans was never charged with any crime stemming from the events of February 26, 2008. This remarkable lack of prosecution and fodder for the media (and this T-Shirt company) is a direct result of the "special treatment" afforded Thomas Athans. There simply is no "mug shot" of Thomas Athans to use. Instead there is only the widely disseminated picture of Alycia Martin which is captioned "The Information Super Ho-Way." Athans is, by virtue of his marriage to U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow and/or his failed business venture in Liberal Talk Radio, an "important person" to the media. Since there is no charges against him, Alycia becomes the surrogate "whipping girl."

Lt. Gerry Scherlinck, public relations specialist for the Troy Police Department, released a high resolution digital picture of Martin's booking picture to the media in response to a Freedom of Information Request (FOIA) from the Detroit News and Detroit Free Press, for one and one purpose only, to maximize Alycia's exposure to the media, and convict her in the Court of public opinion. Most, if not all police departments release only printed low resolution pictures in response to FOIA requests. This "overkill" is not justifiable under any reasonable circumstances. The Troy Police knew Martin's desperate situation, yet purposefully decided to grind her into the dust. Alycia Martin will survive this assault on her dignity as she survived the other degradations visited upon her. Alycia was supposed to jump bond, but to the surprise of the Troy Police and Thomas Athans appeared in Court to face the charge. Alycia has not missed or been late to a single Court appearance. Alycia refused to disappear into the night, and decided to fight to regain her life against the odds. Attorney Frank Cusumano Jr. has and will continue to stand by her, as he has through her other challenges, in Court and in her life, to help her get back what was lost. Alycia should serve as an inspiration to others in similar straits that they can make positive change and get their lives back.

Predictably, Martin's FOIA requests for documents and for the inspection of things to the City of Troy relative to the investigation and prosecution of Alycia Martin were denied in total. Martin is, of course, a "little person" and is expected to absorb the glare and brunt of negative publicity while Athans, as if nobility, walks away "scot free."

In feudal Europe, nobility could not be punished for their crimes. Usually the nobleman was not charged at all. If charged and after the finding of guilt, the sheriff would pick out a peasant servant or one from the crowd and lash him/her to the whipping post to absorb the beating. This was "punishment" since it was such a "disgrace" and "embarrassment" to the person of noble birth to have to witness such a thing. Nobility could not be touched. Likewise, in People v. Martin, the Troy Police argue that Athans has been "punished" by his embarrassment of having been caught in criminal activity, and having to endure the legal proceedings against Alycia. Athans has not had to defend himself against criminal charges, bears no criminal record, has not been pilloried in the press like Alycia, and was not even forced to testify when Martin called him as a witness in her pretrial Motion to Dismiss. Alycia Martin, who had surprisingly few choices in her life, is portrayed as "evil" and prosecution is necessary for law and order, but the same does not apply to Athans. The founding fathers of this country rejected such notions of entitlement and opted for "equal justice."

It should be noted that U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow has spent a life time of public service to the people of the State of Michigan, and should not be victimized, or her contributions diminished, for the actions of her legal spouse, Athans or the actions of the Troy Police Department relative to their handling of Athans. Misogyny in any form should not be tolerated, and this principal holds for both Stabenow and Martin, irrespective of political, social or economic wealth or influence.

Alycia's survivorship story is on the full blog page. http://www.alyciamartin.blogspot.com/. It is not what the Troy "ministry of public relations" would have you believe. Alycia Martin is a person and she is healing physically, spiritually and emotionally, with the help of those who reached out and would not let go. Alycia is a survivor.