KENNEBUNK, Maine — Kennebunk police on Friday are expected to release a third list of men charged with paying for sex in the ongoing investigation into an alleged prostitution business in the town.
The police have already released the names of 39 men charged as johns in the case over two previous installments, on Oct. 16 and Oct. 26.
Among those previously charged with engaging a prostitute were former South Portland Mayor James Soule, former Kennebunk High School hockey coach Donald Hill, local lawyer Jens Bergens, and former Portland Planning Board Chairman Joe Lewis.
Investigators say a list of as many as 150 clients was kept by Alexis Wright, 29, of Wells, who is accused by police of running a prostitution business along with Thomaston businessman Mark Strong, 57, out of her Kennebunk fitness studio.
Both Wright and Strong have pleaded not guilty to a slate of charges stemming from the alleged operation.
Kennebunk Police Lt. Anthony Bean Burpee has said investigators are combing through Wright’s documents and, as they compile evidence to do so, incrementally charging clients with engaging a prostitute.
The names expected to be released Friday by police represent the men charged during the past two weeks. The department has indicated it would release biweekly lists of individuals arrested or issued summonses, regardless of the charges, and police plan to maintain that schedule through the prostitution case investigation.
The first list of men charged with engaging a prostitute was delayed and issued on the Monday following the scheduled Friday, Oct. 12 release day because of a motion filed in court by attorney Stephen Schwartz. Schwartz was representing two people on the alleged johns list and was trying to keep the names from public dissemination.
Schwartz argued that, because of the alleged videotaping activity, the accused johns were also victims of the crime of invasion of privacy, and as victims, they should not be named publicly.
Cumberland County Superior Court Justice Thomas Warren initially ruled that the names of the charged johns should be released, but without home addresses, in an effort to provide the men with a layer of confidentiality. That ruling caused police to release just the first and last names of the men charged as clients — initially without middle initials, ages or addresses — creating some public confusion around men who were not charged, but have the same first and last names as the men who were.
Warren reversed his decision the following day, on Oct. 16, and allowed all identifiable information to be released, and Kennebunk police updated their published list to include middle initials, ages and addresses.
Too bad they didn’t release names one at a time. You could have sold more papers that way.
The coverage of this (unimportant) story has been reprehensible.
At the rate of 40 john’s a month this story will go on into the new year… What I can’t figure out is if it is helping or hurting Maine’s image.
New tourist trap with the statue of Alexis slapping a bent over Strong on the behind in the public square, people will come from all over the world to have their photos taken with it.
Would everybody please stop JUDGING this poor woman!
Certainly a state that has a heart big enough to accept and promote Gay Marriage must be cool enough to allow this woman(and others) to have sex anyway that pleases them.
Whats’ the matter, Maine? Nevada approved it years ago. If there’s one thing we just learned in Maine: “It’s nobody’s business what goes in someone else’s bedroom.” Why don’t you YESon1er’s promote this idea as well. It’s right up your alley! That UU church in the background would appropriately serve as the headquarters.
I can’t tell if you meant to make sense, but I think you are making a lot of sense. She does not appear to have suffered from the Johns, only the police, IRS/MRS, and the press.
Even gay couples don’t necessarily wants their partners paying for sex. You are comparing apples to shoes.
I think ptkitty is making a point about the judging. What if the men were single? Who are we to judge sex for a direct exchange of cash between consenting (and non-committed) adults?
Opponents to same sex marriage used the argument that it was a threat to the family. I think society is making the same argument here.
Seems like this is a story reporting that they will soon have a story……. Why not wait until the names are released and print them, why tell use they are coming soon? Waste of time and space.
is this news? sure sounds like a drug out reality show to me. please standby while we break for a sponsor.. heh heh,
Big deal!
It’s a big deal to the nosey one’s…….Gives them something to look foward to in life..
or what’s missing in their own…
or to those who care about extortion and blackmail involving govt officials and others involved in the public trust …
I don’t think it’s that noble. It’s a primal who’s doing who when and for how long gossip thing. It feels like high school who got caught with who gossip. Legalize, tax, and regulate it. It’s time we all behave like adults.
If it turns out it has nothing to do with extortion and blackmail, and being videotaped without their knowledge and consent makes that doubtful; then I agree it’s not anyone’s business but the parties involved. As far as the government legalizing, taxing and regulating morality, that’s your thing, not mine.
You might be right, time will tell. Let’s see in the end if the final list of names contains someone high ranking enough to justify all this interest. (I’m as guilty as anyone else looking through the names for someone I know. )
It seems to me like they were casting an awfully wide net in order to trap someone important. If compromising someone in power were the intent you’d think they would just target the powerful rather than having sex with the public at large.
Thats for sure…..
Is there some reason why the police are releasing the names in ‘batches?’ Just release all the simpleton’s names and be done with it if that’s what the police plan on doing. Why didn’t they release the ‘Zumba instructor’ Alexis Wright’s name one letter at a time- it’s just ridiculous.
They said in an earlier story that they were releasing names as they were charged, I believe.
Some of the cases require more investigation than others before charges are brought.
You would think they would have something more serious to investigate. What a waste of police resources.
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ……….
If people have been summonsed or charged, the names should be released immediately and not in bi-weekly newsletters. That’s the way the system works for other crimes. The police should release them all and get it over with. Why isn’t the media fighting this in court? Plus, the people whose names already are released now are subjected to having their names in the media every other week. That’s not equitable … first names out, always out; last names out, whew…not so much. C’mon, Kennebunk Police, be balanced here.
They are being released when they are summonsed/charged. The court can’t handle all 150 on one hearing date, so they needed to do them in these batches.
We need to expose these criminals.
These are misdemeanor charges. Hardly “criminal”. This is all about snickering and scandal now.
And the mess they made at home when they couldn’t keep it in their pants.
But isn’t the mess being made with the release of the names. I understand why we do it, and it’s fair, but innocent people are being hurt and shamed by our pious need to print the names. I don’t think we can stop now unfortunately.
I’m feeling dirtier with the release of each batch.
I wonder if they are doing this in batches, so that the police and DA can work on those “Johns” and if they don’t cooperate …………………. out with the names?
Must be driving the “Nosey Nellie’s” nuts having to wait two weeks between batches of names.
Nah, Ewer … they have the checkout tabloids as interim reading, dontcha know? :-)
A name on a list means nothing. Unless they were caught “en flagrante,” I would fight it all the way. Of course the publicity itself is just as damaging, found legally guilty or not.
KENNEBUNK, Maine — The dance instructor accused of turning
her Zumba studio into a place of prostitution was an honors high school
student who attended college and ran dance classes for the local parks
and recreation program. She hosted charity events benefiting Toys for
Tots and breast cancer research.
I don’t recall this being in the BDN. Perhaps I missed it. But, this gives food for thought regarding the negative comments made when I wrote that prostitution should be legal. All the women who howled at me just might find that she is a decent person and not at all “messed up” as they claimed and a person who had no self esteem. Sounds to me like she was really all together.
yeah, people who take nude pictures with their children and have sex with animals and hundreds of people have it “all together”. WTF. If she had it all together, would she be here now? c’mon
Justine, do you know exactly what the pictures are? look like? reveal? NO—I didn’t think so.
She may have her life more together than you can imagine. If you are against legalized prostitution, you can’t possibly see anything in this but the sensationalism. Don’t assume you know everything that is in this case–you only know what you read—and that is not a log of information.
Decent people can be mentally ill. Based on the reports from other newspapers, it is my belief that Ms Wright has an addiction to sex and needs mental health counseling. The men who took advantage of her mental illness should be charged with a crime, as they are.
http://www.indiana.edu/~engs/hints/addictiveb.html
Or, maybe she just likes sex. I’m going to research the videos some more and see if I can make a determination for scientific purposes.
Good for you.
I don’t believe that the situation is all that difficult to comprehend. Why is it that she must be addicted to sex and need counseling? Is it because you think that is what she needs. Perhaps she enjoys sex and deals with this as a lucrative business venture. Don’t judge her. Men did not take advantage of a mental illness, they entered into a business agreement.
Personally, I think it’s more of a “liking money,” issue rather than “liking sex.” Drug dealers rarely use what they sell (I used to work at a methadone clinic). They sell for the money.
I’m too cheap to pay for sex, but if they ever offer a Groupon, anything goes.
This just in- one of the accused “Johns” reportedly ate a double cheeseburger after one of his alleged interludes. McDonalds has no comment. It is speculated that it was a dominatrix burger. More on this, next week.
Why bother them at all, they are all of legal age and it was consensual. The voters have made gay marriage legal why bother with this or any other sex act(except of course involving children). I think we should just turn our heads to all of this and let everyone have a gay old time. The days of morality are over and done with.
Prostitution is the world’s oldest profession—make it legal and get over the prudish commentary. You can’t legislate morality—hey, look at the politicians.
no one cares ffs.
Whew! I haven’t been named yet…..he he
I would have given her a go……but then I saw something about a dog and thats just wrong–she is one sick chick.!!
This is old News move on BDN.
The wives and girlfriends of these guys if there are any, really need a complete check up, for everything including why they still are with these losers if, they are. Talk about getting STD.
yuck, right. I pray for those ladies.
Could it be perhaps, that the mayor of Tinkersville will finally be revealed on the latest list??
The Media should use it’s powers for good instead of evil. No good will come of releasing the name of anyone in this matter.