Police bust Denver escort business
Year-long investigation placed informant posing as prostitute
By Sara Burnett, Rocky Mountain News (Contact), Kevin Flynn, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published February 7, 2008 at 10:09 a.m.
Updated February 7, 2008 at 4:56 p.m.
Authorities spent more than a year investigating a high-priced Denver escort business, sending a female informant known as "Charlie" to pose as one of the prostitutes and watching as a steady stream of men visited the home near City Park, according to affidavits unsealed today.
The business, known as Denver Players and Denver Sugar, operated most recently out of a four-bedroom house at 1675 Fillmore St., according to the affidavit.
One of the employees told police she made between $200,000 and $300,000 over two years. Between 2005 and 2006, she said, she performed "hundreds, if not thousands, of acts of prostitution," the document states.
The investigation came to light in a report on 9News, which said some of the women working for Denver Sugar claimed their clientele includes politicians, pro athletes, judges, lawyers and doctors.
The company kept a list of its clients, but the names were not included in the affidavit.
Authorities searched the Fillmore Street house Jan. 25. They also searched 1305 Monaco Parkway, the home of the suspected owner, 32-year-old Brenda Stewart.
According to the affidavit, Stewart told "Charlie" during a job interview that she had worked as an escort for about 10 years before starting her own business.
Stewart, who has not been charged with a crime, declined to comment when the Rocky visited her home, referring questions to her attorney. Joseph Saint-Veltri, whom Stewart named as her lawyer, refused to comment or even to confirm whether he is representing Stewart.
A criminal investigator for the Internal Revenue Service wrote in the affidavit that Stewart used the business name Phoenix Media LLC as a cover for the escort business.
She reported in 2005 tax filings that the company lost about $2,500 that year, the affidavit states. That same year, Stewart's personal bank accounts showed deposits of about $90,000 — including about $17,000 in cash, according to the document.
In 2006, Stewart filed no return for the business, but reported wages paid of about $31,000. That year, she deposited about $175,000 in her personal bank account, the affidavit states.
One of the employees told police that at least 25 women worked for Denver Players, and that Stewart told them she only reported to the IRS income paid by credit cards.
The women got two-thirds of the money they charged for their services, while the other third went to Stewart, employees said.
At least two times during the investigation, an undercover officer asked for an appointment with "Charlie." The officer went to the home, where he met privately with "Charlie," then paid her for simulated sex, the affidavit states.
Denver Players went online in November 2003 advertising "the finest adult companions in Denver, Boulder and throughout Colorado."
It eventually set up a shop in a brick house a block from East High School, at 1675 Fillmore St., one of the places investigators searched.
Back then, Denver Players offered "Bachelor and private parties, two and three girl shows and one-on-one private sessions."
The site bragged:
"We look forward to offering you the crème de la crème adult escorts in Colorado! Denver Players is an established escort service. We hire only the most reliable, beautiful and intelligent girls in Colorado. We have gained a reputation as Denver's most reputable agency through a dedication to our clients and a consistent high level of quality service."
It then carried this "legal disclaimer," of dubious effect:
"Denver Players — a Denver escort agency is an independent escort agency offering services for the ladies time and companionship only. Anything else that may occur is a matter of personal choice between two or more consenting adults."
Rates varied according to time, distance and repeat customers. The standard rate was $250 for a half hour in-call — at Fillmore Street — and $300 for an hour. Out-call visits, in which the escort travels to the customer, started at $50 higher.
Steeper travel rates were included if the escort had to go north of 96th Avenue, east of Denver International Airport, south of C-470 or west of Simms-Union streets.
"VIPs" were clients with seven or more visits, and they got discount rates of $280 for an hour and $235 for 30 minutes.
"High rollers" were at least once-a-week customers and got a rate of $250 an hour or $220 for 30 minutes, plus invitations to private parties.
Denver Players tried to be discreet. It required "one or more reputable references" and a photo ID from first-time customers.
Online, some of the escorts with the agency promised "no clock watching, just 100% attention to you."
In their blurbs, escorts Corey and Su Ling touted "GFE" service, which stands for "girlfriend experience." That is a prostitution service in which the escort acts like the client's girlfriend including kissing and foreplay.
The web site for Denver Players is no longer online, but it was registered in October 2003.
Customer testimonials of the agency are favorable.
"I've used them on a few of my Denver visits and have always left weak kneed and smiling," one client, saying he is from Dallas, posted online.
The police action and shutdown of Denver Players and Sugar has sent some of the escorts scurrying elsewhere for business.
Two advertised on Craigslist until their post was removed.
On a message board frequented by escorts and their customers, some potential clients were wary of making contact due to the police involvement. When one inquired whether the Craigslist posters really were legitimate Denver Players escorts, they replied:
"It really is us! We had a problem getting on escort boards so we used CL. It wasn't the best of idea's [sic] though ... CL is scary!"
"Daphne," one of Denver Players' former escorts who is listed in the search warrant affidavit, has gone independent with another woman since the police search two weeks ago and now advertises on her own Web site. But she was reluctant to discuss the search and shutdown of Players and Sugar.
"We're not able to talk about it," she said.
But the Web site allows their former customers and newcomers to book appointments online.
"Hi guys!" reads Daphne's first blog post, made on Sunday. "We are just getting this site up and running today, it will be a few days before it is perfect. This hosting/template site is great! We both hope that this will make it easier for you to make appointments, under the contacts page. Have a good night!"
On her services page, Daphne says she is 19 and offers various sexual services including several types of oral sex and threesomes. Her rates are $300 an hour and $250 for a half hour.
Another escort listed on Denver Players' former Web site told the Rocky that she left Stewart's agency "a couple years ago."
"I kind of went independent around that time and am not aware of what went on with the search," said the escort, whose up-to-date outgoing voice mail message noted she was booked through the this weekend except for one availability Friday night in the neighborhood of 104th Avenue and Interstate 25 "after class" and a few slots on Monday.
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February 7, 2008
10:20 a.m.
Suggest removal
AC writes:
I think if you're on the list, you already know it. Kinda hard to forget going to a $350 an hour call girl.
February 7, 2008
10:34 a.m.
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ColoradoAztec writes:
I heard Ted Haggard is starting a 'new' ministry to help find work for "young, hot, women." Pimp my ride Teddy...........
February 7, 2008
10:51 a.m.
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blondiearvada writes:
No, Teddy started a new minstry for hot young guys. Especailly now that he no longer has his religious oversight commitee regarding his "therapy" following him around.
February 7, 2008
10:51 a.m.
Suggest removal
reddog writes:
Oh good now the cops have something important to do. Prosecute victimless crimes and let the important ones go. How about going after the 6800 open warrants in weld county alone sure you might have to work at it but seems like a better chance at getting a real criminal. I wonder how many cops are on the list?
February 7, 2008
10:58 a.m.
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EastVail writes:
I'm not just the President of Hair Club for Men. I am also a client.
February 7, 2008
11:31 a.m.
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PersonOfInterest writes:
For $350/hr, you get to be on the list to investigate. I, myself could just settle for the Coyote date. I have wanted to gnaw my arm off more than once in the morning.
February 7, 2008
11:33 a.m.
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Keno33 writes:
$350 an hour, wow thats the same fee I pay for an attorney.... similar type of practice I guess!
February 7, 2008
12:05 p.m.
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vudumom writes:
High priced,$350 per hour?I think with that you get a bargain basement girl.I thought Denver was an expensive place to live,it is but the prostitutes are still cheap.The DNC is gonna love these prices.I had a friend that made that in 20 mins.
February 7, 2008
12:14 p.m.
Suggest removal
bookwerm writes:
OH PLEASE! Just decriminalize it already.. just a major waste of taxpayer dollars, same for the drug war. Victimless crime. If you want to fight streetwalkers messing up neighborhoods, fine, that is a public nuisance, but what folks do in private HANDS OFF!
All you should be worried about is if any Government money was used.. that is IT!
American needs to GET OUT OF THE MORALITY BUSINESS! Europeans laugh at our puritanical obsession with sex.. not just our own, but what others do.
If the Pol or Judge or whatever is doing a good job, their PERSONAL LIFE SHOULD NOT MATTER god there are some fools..
February 7, 2008
12:34 p.m.
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JK writes:
Now they're really getting screwed.
February 7, 2008
12:39 p.m.
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ruckus writes:
But does $350 include "Around the World"?
February 7, 2008
12:41 p.m.
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nanbede writes:
Move over Texas - Denver's now got the best little whorehouse in Colorado
February 7, 2008
1:23 p.m.
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Spencer writes:
Why is prostitution against the law?
February 7, 2008
2:42 p.m.
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Shaupeen writes:
Same type of service, Keno33, but they're smiling when it's done, and you probably aren't.
February 7, 2008
2:43 p.m.
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stuckiniowa writes:
because the government can't regualate it to a level that they know they are getting their cut.
February 7, 2008
3:04 p.m.
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nonayerbsns writes:
Okay... where's the fairness: black guy = pimp while a white woman = business operator. Oh, pAHLEEEEZZZZZ
February 7, 2008
4:05 p.m.
Suggest removal
my3pugs writes:
Its an IRS investigation, so I assume that there is the suspicion that not all the money that changed hands was reported correctly. As a taxpayer, I want all the income taxes paid. On the other hand, if the clients reported the expense as "entertainment", that's not right either. Follow the money.
February 7, 2008
5:16 p.m.
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LaszloPanaflex writes:
Gun-wielding maniacs everywhere, and the cops are busy pestering consenting adults who are not creating a nuisance. If they aren't walking the streets, why bother them?
February 7, 2008
6:30 p.m.
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Matt writes:
I just can't resist - special kind of "investigations" have to be "performed" very deep and serious of course and only the "Best of the Best" by "politicians, pro athletes, judges, lawyers and doctors"... If I would have an evil thought ( which I am far away from)... sometimes I wish that way more volunteers would be involved in that kind of "investigations".
Is there any place, where those volunteers could apply? :-))
February 7, 2008
7:26 p.m.
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HolierThanThou writes:
The service is 100% voluntary. If you think $350 per hour to get felt up by a call girl is expensive, consider the tax payer. You get to pay more like $3500 per hour for hosing that fine upstanding example of free enterprise working hard to meet hard needs.
The police and district attorneys should line up to give us all a kiss...
February 7, 2008
8:15 p.m.
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reddog writes:
LaszloPanaflex EXACTLY!
February 7, 2008
9:05 p.m.
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MarcoPolo writes:
At least the DNC knows to pay for quality. There's a reason republicans resort to tapping at bathroom stalls, ya know.
February 7, 2008
9:30 p.m.
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Downey1967 writes:
The IRS is jealous because this woman Ms. Stewart probably did report all of her income. The rubbers, blow, and STD checks were written off as business expenses. She also probably wrote off expenses for mileage, and dinner parties as well.
I for one believe that the U.S. Government makes a big issue out of something that isn't really all that important.
If a guy takes a woman out for dinner, and then they go to a movie. After the movie they go back to his or her place and end up in the sack. What's the difference than paying for some nookie? not much difference at all. Pretty much the same principle,might even be less expensive than dating someone, and dealing with the drama that some women bring into a relationship.
February 7, 2008
10:09 p.m.
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timeandagain writes:
All of those investigative hours could have been spent on rounding up illegals that don't pay taxes...
February 7, 2008
10:23 p.m.
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denvervision writes:
Denver lost a unique opportunity with the re-development of Gates. The property is bounded by Broadway and the Platte river, accessible from convention business by light rail and distanced from residential. Consenting adults could have established a red light safe contained playground. Think Bourbon Street on a grand scale! The activity could have been licensed and taxed with health dept approvals. If folks want the oldest recreation to get out of their neighborhoods Denver planners should have taken advantage of the Gates location. I thought I left prudishness and the bible belt behind when I put Kansas in my rear view mirror.
February 8, 2008
12:26 a.m.
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jay045 writes:
You know, I can't agree that this is victimless crime. I would not want to be one of the neighbors of this establishment, and having lived in edgier neighborhoods in my lifetime I can vouch that this is an issue. Not the prostitution itself, but the ugly side of the johns parading in and out of a house. It ruins a community. People can make choices and have self-determination, but I'm not too keen on having that going on in a neighborhood house.
February 8, 2008
7:07 a.m.
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FreedomFighter writes:
All of these so-called laws are vague and contradictory. So much for equal protection. In California, prostitution (aka selling sex for money) is illegal. Yet a producer can employ people to go at (for money) in front of a camera and it's called adult filmmaking.
In almost every state, solicitation is offering sex for money. Yet police women can offer it to would-be johns on Colfax (with a clear intent of entrapment) yet it's not solicitation when they do it.
So how "deep" was "Charlie's" cover? What did she do (or how many) in order to prove that she "fit in" with the gang? Do they teach that at the Police Academy?
Personally, I don't like my tax dollars paying police to act like prostitutes any more than I do paying them to act like gamblers or drug dealers.
These investigations occur primarily because there is money in play that operates outside the control of the government, not because there are genuine victims.
February 8, 2008
11:52 a.m.
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Jim222 writes:
Jay045, exactly what would be different about those same men going in for legal massage? Are you really saying you don't want personal services in your neighborhood or do you have some kind of hangup about what goes on in private? I understand the concern about streetwalkers from an ambience point of view.
You can bet the names of johns will be disclosed if there is enough evidence to convict or even arrest. Short of that, do we want to be in the business of publishing such lists? What if you get on the wrong unsubstantiated list?
February 8, 2008
9:20 p.m.
Suggest removal
Jim222 writes:
hakj,
What if the list turns out to include non-clients? What if you are on it somehow?