KENNEBUNK, Maine — The Kennebunk Police Department is responding sharply to a statement made by one of t wo main defendants in an alleged prostitution case, that accuses the agency of retaliating against him for his probe of the department’s actions.
Defendant Mark W. Strong Sr. of Thomaston denies breaking any laws in the news release, which was issued Wednesday by the office of Strong’s attorney, Daniel Lilley.
“It is my belief that the Kennebunk Police department, with Officer [Audra] Presby heading up the investigation, publicly charged me with one count of promotion of prostitution and arrested only me on July 10, 2012, and confiscated computers in my house and place of business as retaliation against me for my investigation of their department,” Strong stated in the news release.
He said the affidavits filed by Kennebunk police in the state district court in Alfred were prejudicial, defamatory and not accurate.
“The charges against me are untrue. I have made some bad choices but have broken no laws. If these charges are not dropped, I will be vindicated in a jury trial which I have demanded be held as soon as possible,” Strong concluded in his one-page statement.
Strong said he met Alexis Wright — his co-defendant in the prostitution case — several years ago online, and they developed a personal relationship. He said he never had sex with her for money.
“I am a businessman, and I loaned her money to start a legitimate Zumba dance studio with the usual promissory notes at commercial rates of interest,” Strong said.
He said she repaid those loans. Strong said he also co-signed a lease so she could rent a studio but did not promote or participate in her business.
In the release, Strong said his investigation of the Kennebunk department revealed that a police officer shot a woman four times, killing her, but no one was charged.
The Kennebunk Police Department issued a news release of its own late Wednesday night in response to Strong’s statement.
“While it would be inappropriate for the town to try this case in the media, and it will not do so, Mr. Strong’s press release is inaccurate in many instances that portray both the department and several of its sworn officers in a false light and that must be corrected,” the release from Lt. Anthony Bean Burpee stated.
He again denied that the department harassed Wright or Strong ,and he stressed that both were investigated based on probable cause that one or more crimes had been committed at the dance studio operated by Wright in Kennebunk.
The lieutenant said search warrants were obtained and executed with the knowledge of the district attorney’s office and signed by a judge.
Bean Burpee also stated that Strong did not discover the police-involved shooting referred to in the statement because it previously had been investigated by the state attorney general’s office, reported on fully in the media at the time, and the officer was cleared.
That incident occurred March 27, 2011, in Kennebunk when Officer Joshua Morneau shot 39-year-old Katherine Paulson as she approached him with a knife with an 8-inch blade, according to the Maine attorney general’s office.
The attorney general’s investigation concluded on Aug. 2, 2011, that it was reasonable for the officer to believe that deadly force was imminently threatened against him and that he believed it was necessary to use deadly force to protect himself.
The investigation found that the officer and other Kennebunk police responded to the residence of Paulson’s mother when she called police to ask that her daughter be removed from the home. Officer Morneau ordered Paulson to drop the knife more than once before he fired four shots into her, according to the state investigation.
“For Mr. Strong now to say that he ‘discovered’ this incident is not only false, but an inappropriate exploitation of an incident that remains tragic for all involved. It has absolutely nothing to do with the dance studio investigation and illegal activities there,” Lt. Bean Burpee stated Wednesday evening.
Lilley said Thursday that Strong believes he was targeted because his investigation was unwelcome by Kennebunk police. He noted that the attorney general’s office has always found that police shootings are justified.
The lieutenant also said that disciplinary action taken three years ago against the female officer conducting the investigation of the prostitution case for the department is unrelated to the prostitution investigation. Bean Burpee said the officer was given a written reprimand for having a romantic relationship with another officer in the department. The other officer resigned, and the two are now engaged, he said.
“This incident did not then, nor now, have anything to do with the dance studio investigation,” Bean Burpee stated.
Something tells me Mr. Strong is going to “get off” again……
EW! lmao
It gets deeper and deeper. Watching this is going to be fun.
An the tax payers are footing the bill to with no return
Upholding the law is upholding the law. They recently convicted the killer of a high school friend after 30+ years. I guess by your logic, they should have said “why bother? She’s dead and all that DNA testing is kind of expensive.”
Now you are being silly was any one killed here no an i stand by what i say .
Wolly, I have to tell you that in this case, I agree with you but starting to decide what cases to prosecute based on ROI is probably a slippery slope.
There is a severity of crime. This crime (I MEAN THIS CRIME not all prostitution) is in no way hurtful to collective Society. No one was hurt until the story broke on the front page paper, nightly local news, and national. Making this particular case headline has only hurt victims. The tax payers will pay the costs to convict and carry out the sentence. Jailing the Johns, dragging this out, and such is not a good utilization of tax payer dollars. Let the Feds collect the taxes, charge her a fine, and cut her loose.
Yes, but when this was first uncovered and the details of the records kept brought to light, it looked like an extortion scheme and was investigated as such. That is a pretty serious crime, which it would appear that they never had a chance to execute. If there had been no records, it is likely that it would have gone away pretty quickly.
maybe so, but if you convict him for extortion you have to convict everyone and that would leave us with a small government! LOL……….
Funny.
Yes, not to mention relatively few lawyers, doctors or insurance companies.
Right, I would say both qualify for public office and/or any of these professions!
Seriously, society needs to stop trying to punish away societal issues. Punishment does nothing to solve the prolems nor does it prevent them. In this case, Ms. Wright was not a victim forced to sell herself. Mr. Strong, was not a victim of Ms. wright’s behavior. It doesn’t make what either of them right for the ir behavior. However to prosecute this case is a reflection on disconnect. Tobacco, pharmaceuticals, alcohol companies do the same thing. They make money on wants and desires. Consumer choice to consume the product has often caused Societal issues (broken familes, death, disease)Ms. Wright did the same thing and her consumer use has the same impact on he users as the companies above.
Our solution to control the behaviors of the companies is higher taxes (i.e. tax away the cigareete problem), strict DUI/OUI laws, control the supply of narcotics that contribute to the drug problem……………so lets regulate and tax prostituion and keep people honest! I don’t mean “pimps” that force and bring people from other countries to enslve them in prostituion. That needs to be dealt with differently.
What did they do any differently (if guilty) than any other company? Yet we react so violently.
oh, we need to educate, instill values and morales in our children. That is the way to deal with societal issues. the erosion of church and religion have done nothing to help society………..
I’ve had some very interesting conversations with people involved with law enforcement regarding weed. Waste of time for what doesn’t amount to a slap in the wrist.
I don’t see any “fun” here.It is the society we live in that provides for bread and circuses.
and today on the maine zumba reality tv show,
one of the participents accuses the p.d. of retaliation.
Stay tuned for tomorrows episode, where the stakes are higher than ever.
As a “businessman,” Strong should have known that where prostitution is involved, it is never wise to swim with the sharks.
hard to believe that he knew nothing of these activities!
Why should of he known as you say ?
Because, wolly, even a lay (how funny that sounds in this context!) person knows the kinds of “familias” involved w/prostitution.
How dose he know ?
Seemingly something, although perhaps not this, is going on. It is highly unusual to charge anyone, let alone hundreds of people with Engaging a Prostitute.
So comes the question, what is inspiring the Kennebunk Police Department to go on this “crusade?”
If you have been following it in any detail, the types of records involved pointed toward an extortion scheme which apparently never came to fruition. However, when evidence was found to point to that possibility, it had to be investigated as such.
I agree but then why the threat to summons hundreds of people for “Engaging a Prostitute.”
Why go after the woman for prostitution charges rather than concentrate on the illegal recording charges.
Bingo, you are very correct. The case makes headlines, cops feel good as they’ve busted a large ring. The DA can rack it up as a win and the community is a safer place.
An areal large bill which the state an town have no money for to all this is ,,is a feel good case at the most Don’t say that they are breaking the law either because laws are broken every day were some gets hurt an still nothing to them like motorcycle accidents an no charges filed .
Exactly, if the State didn’t waste so much money investigating and prosecuting frivolous victimless crimes we could have a huge tax cut in this State and we could easily get by with half of our police force.
Gotta be political no doubt…but who pissed who off or who is looking to get elected or who is making sure they don’t get elected…
And WHERE are the weapons of mass destruction? Oh, never mind; another event entirely. :D
Good one, Barb. The weapons went back undercover, where they should have stayed all along. Ooops…all ashort.
weapons of mass distruction are built by the FBI and homeland security then givin to some sap who gets arrested for trying to use it.
So you’re an insurance agent, who’s also a private investigator, who’s also a commercial lending institution, who also co-signs a lease on real estate.
I wonder how they were ever able to develop enough probable cause to get a judge to sign a search warrant and then an arrest warrant.
Enough already, put this on the back page.
A lot of business men (and women) who have large cash reserves lend money to people who won’t qualify for a bank loan, such as a single mother on welfare, or a college student raising siblings.
I got such a loan from a friend of lawyer who was helping me probate my mother’s estate. I was a college student at the time, but the property was worth plenty and my sister and I repaid every dime with interest, which was higher than market rates. We needed to make an extensive, emergency repair to the property and this was the fastest way to go. LOL, there was no early payment penalty, and my sister who is a math genius came up with a payment that paid us off early and kept the actual interest paid to one percent below the market rate.
nice…the free market
see what happens when you take banks, bureaucrats, and regulations out of the way….people work together in a responsible manner to get what they need done, in half the time, and at likley half the cost…
and a photographer….
…and part-time porn actor.
If you are a D.A. or a police chief, you can always find a judge to sign a search warrant. If the first one refuses, you just move on to the next and the next. sooner or later you’ll find one who will sign anything. That’s the one you use from now on.
Have said all along that this case (aside from the totally inept performance thus far by the PD, DA, & Judge) is an onion.
They are going to peel layer after layer & some are going to cry (& not only the accused.)
Whether he is uilty or not, Society has already convicted him. He is done. That is why I dislike the media so much for making this stuff headlines. If the emdia get ahold of the John names they will destroy everyone! But the mistakes on the part of the police, DA, and investigators wouldn’t come out, would they?
Thought that this was bad from the get go. Not the “crime,” but the voyeur mentality obsession for someone else’s pain. Have been in the minority opinion which doesn’t bother me in the least. I have a feeling that this case is going to be a get in the mud contest & everyone associated w/it will end up dirty. That means everyone. Would really be interesting for all the people cheering this on to have their own private world rocked. It’s only fair right? Wonder how many affairs & closeted behaviors are behind so many of the poster’s names…
P.S. Have also mentioned the law of unintended consequences & the embarrassment of this entire thing. The Johns (Has anyone named John been outed yet?) are not the only people who will be embarrassed. Be careful what you wish for, it’s a long road that has no turns…
The deeper they dig, the more will come out. This will be a huge mess far before it is over. It is already being tried in the media. Hold on folks……
Thanks for the tip. I’ll stock up on popcorn and watch the drama.
who does this guy think he is kidding?
He wasn’t in business with her. They have no proof of it. He helped some poor women and he is being charged with a crime because the police doesn’t like people opening their back door and snoping around inside
What drugs are you on? Buddy of Mark’s or in the grifting business yourself?
He says he met her several years ago on the net, so at that time a 50 year old man strikes up a friendship with a 22 year old young woman. What did they talk about??????????? Whatever.
I think we will reach new lows, in this legal battle, in the next few weeks, in this quaint New England side show. Lawyers, accused, accusers, participants, police, all will challenge the seemingly lowest legal means of reaching and pulling themselves up and out of this very messy
and never ending, crack, they got their tails caught in.
Maybe Mr. Strong and Ms. Wright have a copy of the list that they would like to share. . .
Where do you think the list came from? If it didn’t exist, the John’s would be off the hook.
I know where the list came from. Since the police won’t share and there is no court order protecting the johns, and the police apparently are, I am suggesting Mr. Strong share ALL the names with us.
If it was about pot his business property would be seized.
“I am a businessman, and I loaned her money to start a legitimate Zumba dance studio with the usual promissory notes at commercial rates of interest,” Strong said.
He said she repaid those loans. Strong said he also co-signed a lease so she could rent a studio but did not promote or participate in her business.”
Equal protection [or costs] under the law should cut both ways.
Does any one disagree with that ?
Yet:
Lane County seeks to keep medical marijuana club’s seized propertywww.registerguard.com/…/marijuana-shimmin-county-cash-medical….
8 Oct 2012 – Shimmin ran his medical marijuana “resource center,” Kannabosm, at 401 … Michaels said the seized cash and property were “not part of any
AND: Drug Forfeiture May Lead to Seizure of Township.
www. gold-silver.us › Forum › General Topics › General Discussion
Which set of different laws is wrong given one must be as they are NOT equal.
they are not equal because enforcement and consequence is dictated by the policital fad at the time. The fads usually swing one way too far. War on drugs, throw them all in jail knowing most will be back! Domestic Violence – deal with the problem with stiff sentence, yet the number increase and some use it as leverage in child custody cases ruining innocent people’s lives….but the policitcal directive is the “driver”.
The question :
“Which set of different laws is wrong given one must be as they are NOT equal.”
… remains unanswered, even by you, Think911
hmm, true………. equality is a delusion. Preception is reality, if a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it does it make a noise? Maybe there is no answer!
How self-centered and arrogant must one be to think just because you can’t hear it that no noise is made ?
Do pots and pans make no noise if a deaf person drops them on the floor ?
So the physics having been covered , on topic here, the question :
“Which set of different laws is wrong given one must be as they are NOT equal.” … still remains unanswered, even by you, Think911.
Is there no answer possible, in your mind, just because you say nothing ? That is no less logical than your other meaningless platitude.
no less so then your inane platitude. Let us discover your answer to your question, please share. My point was simply that there may be no answer to your question. My persiflage apparently offended you. I think ; the interpretation of human behavior is up to the interpreter. Thus, equality in the application is difficult. Behavior as it is applied to laws is subjective. In law, interpretation is up to the court, thus behavior is interpreted differently within the criminal justice system. Given this, I would surmise that no one interpretation is wrong or right. Secondly, the law is about intent and since law is about intent, and intent is subjective the opinion of the person interpreting the intent will vary. So how do you produce equality in this scenario?
> “no less so then your inane platitude”
What platitude ?
Quote it please.
> “So how do you produce equality in this scenario?”
Begin by explaining the differences between the treatment before the law of people who deal in sex and pot.
Do include the profiles of the accused, too, so far, some businessmen, a mayor, and a hockey coach…which is relevant toward who is treated more equally before the law.
> “the law is about intent and since law is about intent, and intent is subjective”
Isn’t that intention equal treatment before the law in America anymore ?
Class warfare ?
Bring it on, Coach.
The pot smokers have more class and less nasty intent ….
Actually there is no “noise” if there are no ears. Just like there is no “time” if there are no humans.
Actually there is no “noise” if there are no ears … in the vacuum … or a vacuum between any ears within range or beyond.
The only point in dealing with this is relative to asking if the arrogant, anti-science, no compromise faith based, low information sorts who insist that if I didn’t experience it, it did not happen, deserve any respect or should ever have any leadership positions in a great Nation.
No errs no noise. Very scientific.
Very something.
Color either.
As in: Noise implies an irritating or annoying sound. Since there is no one there to hear and be irritated, there is by definition no noise. There is however sound. Definition is important.
They don’t have to be equal. the question should be, Who in in charge of the scale.(balance)
Life is not always fair yet it doesn’t make life wrong… Laws are written to make everyone a law breaker. Booze hurts more people then Pot does, yet booze is legal. we are governed by laws written by men who profit from them.
We tried outlawing booze.That worked out well.
“we are governed by laws written by men who profit from them.” – Amen
Considering that this story will be in the news for a long while, I want to see reporting/analysis concerning the following questions: (1) Under Maine law, will all of the defendants be entitled to a jury trial? (2) Under Maine law, will all of the defendants be eligible for government-paid legal representation (if of low enough income/assets)? (3) Under Maine law, if Ms. Wright does not cooperate with the prosecution, will her records be admissible into evidence? (4) Were all of Ms. Wright’s clients involved in “hardcore” sexual activity or were at least some only involved in “softcore” sexual activity (such as erotic massage, lap dancing or viewing striptease type dancing?
(1) Yes; (2) No, unless facing jail time and indigent (which none of these characters seem to be); (3) Her records are admissible (at least some of them) with or without her cooperation; (4) We’ll have to wait and see, but to be charged with actual engaging in prostitution or engaging with a prostitute, there has to be sexual acts that go beyond what happens at strip clubs legally (massage, exotic dancing, stripping = not prostitution).
He’s a businessman and I’m an astronaut on leave from NASA to do male modeling wile I get my sixth degree from Harvard.
your busy,
A short jail sentence and a fine are not enough for this jerk! I would lock him up in a real prison if we have any left that aren’t resorts and his exercise would be a sledge hammer and a pile of rocks for the next ten years.
oh boy, lock him up and spend thousands of dollars. Put him away and put the murder on the street!
I don’t see a crime here, at least not by the evidence they have.
come on! He was fing her!
But not for money, according to his statement.
He would make the 151 person she has been with, that we know of. I wonder how he feels about that.
This guy is a real crack PI. The stories he claims he is being persecuted for uncovering, he apparently uncovered by….reading the paper? I wonder how much he charges people to use these amazing techniques.
I also find it kind of odd that someone who purports to be a private investigator was completely duped by a business partner.
#1 he never said he uncovered the story,he said he was investigating the story.
#2 he wasn’t her business partner. He lent her money which was repaid and cosigned a lease on a building for her.
“While it would be inappropriate for the town to try this case in the media, and it will not do so, Mr. Strong’s press release is inaccurate in many instances that portray both the department and several of its sworn officers in a false light and that must be corrected”
And do you think that Mr. Strong’s case isn’t being tried in the media? Half the major arrests are tried in the media! Come on, get off your cop high horse. Lord knows that cops do not make mistakes or provide inaccurate information (sarcastic). Cops, lawyers, and prosecutors go WAy out of their way to protect their professions………………….
You guys want a real hoot? Bet you didn’t know Alexis is a pornstar!
http://alexiswrightmainezumba….
I wonder how all the innocent people in Kennebunk named John feel about this…
More like a pimp and tax evader than a businessman; what was he thinking? I just know as I pass his business in Thomaston everyday that all I can do is giggle.
…And pity his poor wife. He is repulsive.
Talk around town is that she has kicked this loser to the curb. She & his grown children are the ones to feel sorry for, how dare he do this to them. His self centered & egotistical
opinion of himself remains
“More like a pimp and tax evader” – what businessman doesn’t pander for customers and pay as little tax as possible?
Four shots to bring down someone…
Do you have any idea how law enforcement officer is trained to shoot? By your remark I would say no. Depending on the type of weapon, they are taught to shoot two or three round at a time. Known as double or triple tap. They shoot till the threat is over, two shots or twenty.
I agree with you. Four shots into a mentally ill woman who is armed with a knife (not a gun) is excessive. For some reason, he definitely wanted her dead. Using a Taser gun would have been just as effective and more humane . The Maine Attorney General investigated the killing and of course determined that it was justified. Watch your step because the Police can do no wrong in Maine regardless of the circumstances involved.
Pepper spray her, and she would have dropped the knife at once.
If a mentally ill woman came at me with a knife, I would scream in fear, squeeze off maybe 4 more rounds then the 1911 could hold, and crouch in a corner and grieve for the life I had just taken. Or maybe I would have froze, and would had been carved up. Tough to say, and I hope I never need to decide….
police can’t do any wrong; molestors get away with molestering our children and only get 30 days in jail or $500 bail; murderers like STEVEN MAYO kill their own brother in cold blood and only get 8 years… love this stateee!!
Then leave.
i’d love to
Pay no attention; to the man behind the curtain…..
So what has happened here is they are making Strong responsible for his tenant.. I cannot see where he has commit any crime.. I you lease a car from Ford and you run over someone is Ford responsible???
Could it be possible that Wright (or Strong) was late with the protection money paid to to keep Kennebunk PD away?
He was running the plate#s of her customers to make sure they were not cops,sounds like he knew exactly what was going on.
Birds of a feather flock together.
Yes we understand that Mr. Strong is a businessman, his business just happens to be prostitution.
So what ever happened to the “child porn” charges? Almost seems like the KPD are pretty loose with their own accusations.
There’s that possibility, but the PD didn’t sneak into the Zumba Studio and put him on the list. LOL “Oh never mind the elephant in the living room! Look! Look at this nice chicken in my hand!” Dude, please…
Three full time detectives to investigate misdemeanors? I think I see a place to trim a little fat in the KPD budget. Three unnecessary detectives salaries.
You really need to contemplate the other reasons someone might secretly videotape embarrassing situations. It seems you are not a very deep thinker.
Like blackmail, racketeering, and of course, tax evasion.
he would have had to pay me big bux..she used him ..he used her..call it what you want Marky baby..bad boy..bad girl..lol
something tells me that the family of the woman who was shot is paying him to investigate the PD of that town, citing wrongful death. regardless of whether the state investigators office clears it, their could be other issues the family wanted checked… not that I agree with it, but it’s plausible… as for him being connected with the zumba instructor I think it’s a bunch of bull.. I think he’ll get off, and have his record cleared.. he was an innocent buisness associate. If he truely knew nothing about the buisness’s day to day operations.. I dunno.. this whole investigation has been fishy from the start.
This all boiles down to one thing boys and girls..any guesses?Ill give you a hint.It comes in paper and metal form and you can spend it..Yup!!CHA_CHING!! MONEY!!!! All it is,just like everything else in this state,a money grab!!!!Now this girl,after the state is thru dropping 99% of the charges against her,most likely will move on and become a big star* in one of those XXX movies you can buy.She’s stupid if she don’t.Then watch the money pour in for her,legally to.just in time for here to pay her fine to the good old state of maine..I think Lapage is wondering where his cut of the pie is to!!
Sadly,that is probably what will happen.Calling Joe Francis.
The entire investigation is a waste of taxpayers money.
Oh, so tax evasion isn’t a waste of taxpayers money either then I suppose?
I read in yesterday’s BDN that there is a new Zumba studio opening in Brewer , can’t wait to check it out !
The Police officer fire 4 bullets into her because she did not drop her knife ? Why not one in her arm, that surely would of stopped her from holding a knife. I thought only enough fire power to disarm the situation not to riddle the body with holes. Seems like a lot of force used, here ? Dan Liddy, I wonder how Mark Strong got him out of retirement? He sure is a flamboyant lawyer and used to be, very good. We will see if he still has got it. This will be a long trial and what I will find, very interesting. I hope the prosecutor is very good also as it will make for a great court case to be decided by a jury and the evidence. Better than the TV crap and one will see great law knowledge displayed and tried out. I only wished that it could be on court TV.
When a LEO is in a situation that requires the use of a service weapon, there is generally too little time to consider all the options. An injured person can still close and use that knife before dropping from an injury. That kind of shot would have to be very, very accurate, not an easy one under that kind of stress. That is why officers are trained to fire at least three shots at center mass. It is too bad the woman was killed, but the description given here does sound like a justified shooting.
the police are trained to aim for center mass and to fire until the attacker is down,and rightly so.that officer probably has a family that would like to see him come home safely at tthe end of the day the lone ranger shooting the gun out of the bad guys hand is pure fiction.Shooting a person in the shoulder or arm is unrealistic in most cases and is not something any training program,police or civilian would teach or approve of. “do not bring a knife to a gunfight” is the lesson to be learned from this. strong and his lawyer are just trying to muddy the waters in what will most likely be a cut and dry conviction.
He actually is a longtime Midcoast Maine businessman. He’s also a licensed PI. If he turns up with a contract where he’d been hired as an investigator before the Zumba-gate story broke by (for example) the family of the shooting victim, this case will get really interesting, because – sadly – State Police investigations of officer shootings can get really rubber-stampy, the press goes along without question, and it would sometimes make sense to look behind the official report. Just sayin’.
Mr. Strong, the dope dealer on the corner is a business man. That does not make his business any more legal than the one you were engaging in with Ms. Wright.
WHERE IS THE NAMES MAINE WANTS TO KNOW
Is A-Rod on the list?
I’m sure this has something to do with why we haven’t seen an entire list, nor will we….
My oh My! Anyone who’s ever dealt with this fool knows what a smug and condescending fellow he really is. He’s the classic small town boy who’s never gone anywhere or done anything but thinks the world of himself.
The real irony here is whatever money he made pimping is now in the pocket of Dan Lilly. Ain’t no way writing insurance policies for teenage drivers brings in enough scratch to pay Dan’s bill.