A 66-year-old former assistant Hennepin County attorney pleaded guilty to three felony counts of prostitution promotion on Tuesday. The 66-year-old will not face jail time for sex crimes because of severe health problems but could serve jail time if he violates his probation. One of the central factors in the man not receiving jail time was the amount of taxpayer dollars it would cost to house him.
The former assistant attorney was the leader of a Minneapolis based prostitution ring called “Minnesota Nice Guys.” According to police the 66-year-old built a list of 30 clients that included lawyers, business owners, accountants and mortgage bankers. The group referred to themselves as the “Minnesota Nice Guys” because they said they held themselves above the mistreatment of women, had flawless backgrounds and provided high compensation.
The men who were a part of the group received emails that advertised when certain women would be flown in from Florida. The former assistant Hennepin County attorney scheduled the meetings between the group of men and the women. The men would meet with the women in luxury hotels located in Minneapolis. The investigation began in July 2008 and took over one year to conclude. Police setup surveillance in hotel rooms after women who were a part of the prostitution ring agreed to cooperate with police. The 66-year-old accepted a plea agreement and will be sentenced on January 20.
The 66-year-old will not be incarcerated because he uses a wheelchair and requires medical assistance 24 hours a day. He worked for the Hennepin County attorney’s office for 28 years and retired in 2003 because of post-polio syndrome.
Source: Star Tribune, “Guilty, But No Jail Time for Head of Prostitution Ring,” David Chanen, 11/23/10
