September 8, 2009 UPDATEDefendant Miguel Elizondo is scheduled for sentencing on October 7, 2009. Click here for link to Docket Calendar 2009-001825-FH PEOPLE vs. ELIZONDO, MIGUEL A, Hon. Peter J. Maceroni presiding.
Earlier this year, the City of Warren which neighbors Troy, Michigan, took steps to enforce the statutes of Michigan relative to prostitution in their community. After personally viewing the situation with patrolling police officers, Mayor Jim Fouts concluded - as have most reasonable observers - the myth that prostitution is a "victimless crime" is a dangerous misconception for a normal, socially conscientious and healthy community.
Unlike the City of Troy Police Department's seriously flawed handling of the Thomas Athans/Alycia Martin case, and the "special" handling of the Elliott Spitzer/Ashley Dupre case in New York (with contacts taking place in Washington, D.C.) Mayor Jim Fouts and the Warren Police undercover officers took on the entire operation in their sting, not just the targetting the vulnerable woman being prostituted, as in the Alycia Martin case. It should be noted that most critics of the Troy Police Department's handling of the Martin case agree: if the women are doing illegal activities, then they should be prosecuted, but to release the johns "scot-free" is morally wrong and sends the wrong message. Law enforcement must enforce all the laws against violators irrespective of wealth, social standing, or political influence. If the failure to charge Thomas Athans and release him to drive on a suspended license is perceived as wrong and a "double standard," then failure to vigorously and actively pursue the pimp and handlers is reprehensible, outrageous and shameful.
It is posited by the Troy Police Department that the physical arrest, and filing of charges against the prostituted 20 year old girl; hitting her with forfeiture proceeding (taking all her money); and publicizing her identity, while not arresting or ticketing the alleged john, is somehow going to magically force or encourage the cooperation and testimony by young girl against the pimp handler. In this so called police methodology, the admitted john is joked with and befriended, told not to worry, and treated deferentially. The prostituted woman is searched, arrested, processed, charged, and prosecuted. When examined objectively, this pretext is shamefully false, especially in light of a neighboring jurisdiction's commitment to traditional enforcement techniques.
Dilligent police work seems to work successfully in Warren, Michigan, yet is "impossibly difficult" in neighboring Troy. Special Investigations Division's efforts in the Warren Police Department resulted in the following arrests, hardly a failure by any standards:
(Excerpted from Warren Police Department Web Site)
"Warren Mayor Jim Fouts is publishing the names of individuals arrested for such crimes on the city’s Web site and in the future, on TV Warren cable channels. October 17, 2008, Commissioner William Dwyer announces that in a continuing effort to stop prostitution within the city of Warren, officers of the Warren Police Special Investigation Division arrested nine subjects. This sting operation occurred on October 16, 2008 at a local hotel in the city of Warren. The females arrested in this incident all reside in the tri-county area and charged anywhere from $150-$250 an hour for their services.As a result of this operation the following individuals were arrested and warrant requests were presented to the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office. After reviewing the files, the Macomb County Prosecutor’s authorized the following:
ROBERTA ANTIONETTE LOBERT, a 34-year-old Sterling Heights resident, was arraigned on a two-count misdemeanor warrant charging her with: Count 1: Prostitution, 93-day misdemeanor, and Count 2: Use of the Internet in commission of a crime, one-year misdemeanor.
KATRINA LYNN SAHABI, a 21-year-old West Bloomfield resident, was arraigned on a two-count misdemeanor warrant charging her with:Count 1: Prostitution, 93-day misdemeanor, and Count 2: Use of the Internet in commission of a crime, one-year misdemeanor.
CELESTE MARIE VALASTEK, a 27-year-old Memphis resident, was arraigned on a three-count misdemeanor warrant charging her with:Count 1: Prostitution, 93-day misdemeanor,Count 2: Conspiracy to commit Prostitution, 93-day misdemeanor, andCount 3: Use of the Internet in commission of a crime, one-year misdemeanor.
MARIE ALLEN THOMPSON, a 25-year-old White Lake resident, was arraigned on a three-count misdemeanor warrant charging her with:Count 1: Prostitution, 93-day misdemeanor,Count 2: Conspiracy to commit Prostitution, 93-day misdemeanor, and Count 3: Use of the Internet in commission of a crime, one-year misdemeanor.
SHANNON NICOLE HENDERSON, a 29-year-old Detroit resident, was arraigned on a three-count misdemeanor warrant charging her with:Count 1: Prostitution, a 93-day misdemeanor,Count 2: Use of the Internet in commission of a crime, one-year misdemeanor and Count 3: Driving on a Suspended License, a one-year misdemeanor.
WENDELL POLK, a 36-year-old Detroit resident, was arraigned on a four-count misdemeanor warrant charging him with:Count 1: Prostitution, 93-day misdemeanor,Count 2: Conspiracy to commit Prostitution, one-year misdemeanor,Count 3: Possession of Marijuana, one-year misdemeanor, and Count 4: Operating a motor vehicle without a driver’s license, 93-day misdemeanorMICHAEL DWAYNE EDMONDS, a 47-year-old Southgate resident, was arraigned on a two-count misdemeanor warrant charging him with:Count 1: Prostitution, 93 day misdemeanor, and Count 2: Conspiracy to commit Prostitution, one-year misdemeanor.
MIGUEL ANTONIO ELIZONDO, a 43-year-old Southgate resident, was arraigned on a three-count warrant charging him with:Count 1: Accepting earnings from Prostitution, a twenty-year felony,Count 2: Prostitution, 93-day misdemeanor, and Count 3: Conspiracy to commit Prostitution, one-year misdemeanor.
*****
Officers also seized five vehicles pending forfeiture proceedings, along with $696.00 in cash, several cell phones, a laptop computer and a digital camera.Commissioner William Dwyer states, “This type of criminal activity will not be accepted nor tolerated in the city of Warren. The Warren Police Department is committed to the investigation and prosecution of any individuals who participate in this criminal enterprise.” http://www.cityofwarren.org/default.asp?area_2=police/prostitution.dat&area_7=nav/police.dat&area_5=police/right.dat&objectid=C27B0E0&ml_index=13&NC=3466X
Case in point: The Warren Police managed to arrest all participants and charged an alleged panderer with the 20 year felony.
This operation is true law enforcement of the statutes, and the City of Warren and it's Police Department should be commended for a job well done as leaders for the region as they "strive" to address the issue in their community.
Sadly, one the alleged prostitutes arrested in this sting operation has passed away. It is the point and argument of this blog that prostituted women caught up in this industry should be helped, not punished, and treated with compassion and dignity. Accordingly, at the request of her family and friends, her photograph and references to her have been removed from this blog. Law enforcement should focus their resources on the predators of these young women, the "johns" and the "sex industrialists." Her loss is a loss to every responsible and conscientious citizen.
Where police and responsible members of the citizenry neglect or fail to act, prostituted women are victims, drained of life and hope. One can hardly imagine that a woman would "choose" this life. The only choice usually is to choose to live and not be homeless, hungry, and alone. Likewise, Johns, if forced to face the consequence of their actions, educated, and their activities publicized would not continue their use of other human beings for their selfish needs and gratification. Investigation, arrest and prosecution the predatory pimps, handlers, bottoms and security members of the ring would, as believed by most reasonable observers, comprehensively address this criminal activity. Arresting only the prostituted woman hardly seems to scratch the surface. Both the demand end (the john/user) and the supply distribution end (the pimp) are left untouched. It is disgraceful where only the prostituted person (the product) it targeted for arrest and prosecution.
All jurisdictions in Southeastern Michigan should follow the lead set by the City of Warren Police Department.
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