Making a case or cause for concern?
4/29/06 (updated 5/2/06) -- Oklahoma City, OK - Public records recount each and every prostitution arrest in Oklahoma County. A closer look shows a disparity between street prostitution arrests
and private escort arrests; One that is a cause for concern.
JohnTV.com reviews arrest reports, probable cause affidavits
and other public records on a daily basis.
While reviewing these records we've noticed a disturbing trend. While street prostitutes are often placed under arrest and successfully prosecuted for simply offering to engage in a lewd act, often, the more attractive private escorts are encouraged by police to undress, touch and even masturbate in front of male undercover officers prior to their arrest.
Police say their actions are necessary to make a case, JohnTV.com speculates the line between enforcing the law, making a case and indulging one's own deviance gets arguably blurry.
JohnTV.com first reported on these questionable tactics September 16 of last year.
In that case we shined a light on the case of convicted Dallas escort Amber Kay Sears, 21. Sears was arrested June 3 of last year after being contacted via email by an undercover Oklahoma City vice officer and lured to Oklahoma City for a sexual encounter. Sears was brought to OKC by her husband Nelson Sears, 24.
According to court records, Sears agreed to an hour of "anything but anal" for $270. The entire transaction; advertisement, solicitation, procurement and planned sex was to take place completely behind closed doors and away from the knowledge and sensitivities of the general public. Even though police records clearly show that Sears had broke the law when she told the officer he would be required to wear a condom and that she was willing to perform any sex act other than anal for the paid $270, the officers did not make an arrest at that point. Instead, the undercover officer instructed Sears to take off her clothing and then masturbate in front of the undercover officer (isn't it nice to know what your tax dollars will get you these days).
Sears pled guilty to felony charges including computer crimes (those naughty emails back and forth), offering to engage in prostitution, and maintaining a house of prostitution last September. Amber was given a five year deferred sentence, required to be evaluated for drugs and alcohol, and fines and court costs in excess of $1,600.
Did all this effort by Oklahoma City Vice and all the tax dollars spent by Oklahoma County District Attorney Wes Lane to prosecute Sears teach her a lesson, rehabilitate her criminal ways and cause us all to sleep better at night?
You can judge for yourself by clicking here and here. (Update 5/2/06: Obviously Amber, aka "Candie," is a fan of JohnTV.com. Within hours of JohnTV.com posting links to her active escort Internet sites she pulled the one she actually has control of [second link]. Most likely for fear it would prove she is in violation of her felony suspended sentence. Worry not, we here at JohnTV are very thorough. You can see Amber's site as it appeared [we edited out the pages with nudity] by clicking here [.pdf document]. If we here at JohnTV wanted Amber's suspended sentence accelerated to prison time, we'd have posted links to her other "escort" ads, reviews and Yahoo group which have begun to appear on other forums. It's amazing the links people will send us!)
Would it not have served a much greater good to have spent those same tax dollars fighting street prostitution which is rampant in South Oklahoma City? Prostitution that literally holds entire neighborhoods hostage. Instead, Oklahoma City Vice continually chooses to waste tax dollars fighting a segment of prostitution that is not seen nor complained about by the public at large.
Oh wait a minute... they also get free sex shows with your tax dollars - silly us!
In recent weeks JohnTV.com has noticed Oklahoma City Vice's 'policy of perversion' continues unabated.
in this episode of the "Seedy Side of Vice" we will look at the cases of Marci Edgin and Jamie Murcek.
Edgin, 51, was arrested October 5 of last year by members of Oklahoma City vice.
According to court records, an undercover officer contacted Edgin after seeing an ad she had placed for massage services in Night Shift Magazine.
Edgin, using the name "Charlie," quoted a rate of $100 for a 45-minute massage and instructed the officer to come to her residence at the Lakeview Tower Apartments.
At about 7:30pm the officer arrived and was greeted by Edgin, who was wearing "a small white piece of lingerie."
Edgin collected the $100 and took the officer to a bedroom containing a massage table.
The officer undressed and Edgin began to give him a massage.
According to the probable cause affidavit, the officer stated that "he liked to watch a woman masturbate ... then asked [Edgin] if she would masturbate for him."
Only after getting his free show did the officer ask Edgin for oral sex. Edgin agreed and was taken into custody.
The report failed to mention where the now naked undercover officer kept his badge and handcuffs.
Edgin was charged with a felony, convicted earlier this month and sentenced to one-year suspended.
Murcek, 27, from Omaha, NB was arrested April 3rd.
According to court records, Murcek had placed an ad offering "escort" services on the Internet site CraigsList.com last March.
Undercover officers contacted Murcek via email and agreed to meet at the Super 8 Motel in South Oklahoma City for an hour of "escort" services for the agreed price of $250.
At about 5:00pm the undercover officer arrived at the hotel room and was instructed to place the $250 on the nightstand. Murcek told the officer she had brought condoms.
Both the officer and Murcek got undressed.
Murcek produced "a pink phallic vibrator and began to masturbate."
Only after "performing" for the naked undercover officer was Murcek placed under arrest.
Murcek, charged with a felony, is currently awaiting a court date.
JohnTV.com brings these three cases to the public's attention because they (and dozens of similar examples) stand in stark contrast to street prostitution arrests.
Page after page of escort related police reports recount tales of masturbation, gropping, naked cuddling and other indecent acts at tax payer expense with undercover Oklahoma City police officers.
After literally going through hundreds of public records we have found no police reports which detail, the often less attractive, street prostitutes being encouraged, or even allowed, to undress, fondle or masturbate themselves or the undercover officer.
JohnTV.com asks, why would the criteria for making a case against a street prostitute be so different than that of a private escort?
Many would argue that prostitution in any form is often a direct result of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. At the very least it is a demeaning act by any standard.
Should we as a society allow our city, county or state law enforcement officers to engage in acts of victimization in the name of enforcing the law. Especially when the "criminals" are engaged in acts kept 100% behind closed doors and are not the topic of public outcry for relief?
The "Seedy Side of Vice" will be an ongoing effort to expose our city's "policies of perversion."
