ALFRED, Maine — A hearing is scheduled for Sept. 14 on whether a promotion of prostitution charge against the 56-year-old owner of a Thomaston insurance company should be dismissed.
Mark W. Strong Sr.’s attorney, Daniel Lilley, filed the dismissal motion in York County Superior Court, arguing that the failure of the prosecution to provide the defense with any evidence violated his client’s right to prepare a defense.
Strong was arrested July 10 in Thomaston, the same day police conducted a search of his home and Strong Insurance company office. The affidavit used to obtain an arrest warrant filed by the Kennebunk Police Department stated that Strong had a significant business and personal connection with the woman at the center of the case.
Strong entered a not guilty plea to the charge.
Lilley said Friday afternoon he has not been provided the evidence that the district attorney’s office has collected from the police investigation. The Portland attorney said Friday the district attorney’s office has not even returned telephone calls he has made asking why he has not received the information.
“I feel like an unwanted guest at a Labor Day party,” Lilley said.
A telephone message was left Monday morning for the district attorney’s office; however, it is Labor Day and government offices are closed.
The defense attorney said he has received calls from several attorneys who represent men who may have visited the woman who is at the center of the prostitution case. Lilley said the attorneys are trying to find out what he knows but he has no information for them.
He pointed out that no one else has been charged in the case, including the woman with whom police said Strong had the connection. The defense attorney asked how police could have charged Strong but not anyone else.
LIlley said he has heard that there are 150 to 200 names on the list of clients seized by police from the woman in Kennebunk who ran a Zumba studio.
The dismissal motion was filed Aug. 23. Strong is scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 4 for docket call, which is when cases are scheduled for trials, but that could change depending on the Sept. 14 hearing.
Lilley had previously said his client, who also holds a private investigator’s license, was hired by the Kennebunk dance studio owner because she said police were harassing her. Kennebunk police have denied that claim.
The criminal complaint alleges that Strong promoted prostitution in Kennebunk from October 2010 from February 2012.
Police seized electronic client ledgers which included video recordings of the woman performing sex acts on males, reportedly without the males being aware of the recordings, according to the affidavit. The ledgers listed detailed records of payments and police found that the acts generated income of about $150,000, according to the affidavit which attributes the amount to the woman’s Maine tax filings.
The review of those records determined that Strong had a significant business and personal connection to the woman and these illegal acts, according to the affidavit. The police said they found significant bank records, insurance documents and telephone records of the connection.
On a video seized by police, the woman is talking on Skype with Strong and is asking him to run motor vehicle registration information.
The affidavit further states that Strong, as a private investigator, has used the Bureau of Motor Vehicle records, to query potential clients for the woman and other individuals.
Records filed in the Knox County Registry of Deeds show that property tax liens were placed on Strong’s home in both 2009 and 2010 but were both paid off within three months from when the liens were filed.
Legalize it and tax it and quit worrying about it. We have more important things to worry about.
The same with marijuana. Time would be save, taxes could be paid & the courts wouldn’t need to deal with such petty nuisances. More time to deal with pedophiles, murderers & the like who actually harm the general public.
I like that “may have visited” part – lawyers hedging their bets, as usual.
Seriously, if consenting adults want to exchange sex for money, just leave them alone and mind your own business.
It’s not that simple. This type of “business”, if left unchecked, can do a community harm. Indeed, Kennebunk is not a better place for it having happened there.
How can it do community harm? If you don’t like it, then don’t go. Obviously, children shouldn’t be allowed in, but if there are no actual victims, then there is no crime (being offended does not constitute being a victim).
Sounds like the DA and the Kennebunk PD are desperately looking for a graceful way to broom this whole thing. Watch for the incriminating stuff to ‘disappear’ from the evidence locker.
Really, not that different from the child sex ring problem Penobscot’s Almy faced a few years back when the Lawrence children started talking in court and under oath.
Try like 25 years ago. Norman Harrington was innocent and Almy and Roberts put him though hell . Donnie was the master mind and latter bagged about it.
As I remember, the Lawrence children fingered Harrington and Almy refused to seek an indictment. Almy did his Sergeant Schultz (of Hogan’s Heroes fame) impression, “I know nossing, I see nossing, I hear nossing.” Apparently the children were credible enough for Almy to convict 9 nobodies, but when they started naming prominent people, under oath, Almy dropped them like a hot potato. Just how do you know Harrington was innocent? Or do you mean to say he was simply not prosecuted — and how about telling us who Donnie is? Is he still at large? Still ‘in the business’? And how about Harrington? Is he capable of telling us or is he conveniently ‘indisposed’?
Norman Harrington passed away unexpectedly in 2003.
Donnie the ring leader lives in Lagrange , Vaughn Like in Oronville , Pete died . Just happen to know about 5 of them . Related to an ex GF. Long story . Yes they bragged about Harrington not being involved . Yes some important people did get off Harrington was not one of them . It was a plan to through off the case the leader of the Lawrence case. So somewhere around north Bradford to Milo is where they live or lived in the years after. Rest in piece Norman . Did almy and Robert mess up yes . Did guilty people go free? yes
Now that the police know the client list, they can compromise them in the future. I’m betting that no one gets charged because all 150 on the list would become wittnesses.. Can’t have the town fathers or elite getting busted, now can we… Case Over!
If the johns are REALLY important, maybe the DA can have her Arkancided, like
Deborah Jeane Palfrey, or maybe the State Police can be called in to give her a last ride to a meeting with the AG, like they did with Rod Hotham.
very good!!
Hey!
You can’t Arrest The Job Creators!
Very clever, sharp, LOL, that is good.
There would come a day
when news will pass away
What would they say about me?
When the end comes I know
I was just a gigolo
Life goes on without me
LOL, Bing Crosby did the best job singing this one.
Louis Prima! Good one.
Test
What about the video recordings? Why were they taking them, and going to use them for what purpose?
It’s tawdry and all, but just what is he charged wit? Aiding and abetting, or profiting from? Consorting with one?
Are the police on a witch hunt cause of a PI on their butts?
Maine is “Open for Business”.
This thing makes absolutely no sense.