United States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut
Press Release

MULTI-COUNT INDICTMENT CHARGES 10 FOR INVOLVEMENT IN HARTFORD-AREA PROSTITUTION RING

Kevin J. O’Connor, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a federal grand jury sitting in Hartford has returned a 56-count Indictment against 10 individuals on various charges related to their involvement in a Hartford-area prostitution ring. The Indictment alleges that women were forced to work as prostitutes by means of violence, threats and coercion. The Indictment was returned on March 15 and was unsealed yesterday, March 22, during court proceedings.

The Indictment alleges that DENNIS PARIS, also known as “Rahmyti,” age 33 (DOB 7/10/72), formerly of Trolley Crossing Lane, Middletown, Connecticut; RONALD MARTINEZ, age 38 (DOB 6/27/67), of 43 Caya Avenue, Apartment 302, West Hartford, Connecticut; and BRIAN FORBES, age 41 (DOB 5/22/64), of 48 Nixon Avenue, Naugatuck, Connecticut, operated prostitution businesses and used cellular telephones to promote their businesses by, among other things, making appointments for customers (“johns”) with their prostitutes (“girls”), and communicating with their drivers and with each other. PARIS and MARTINEZ are alleged to have concealed their prostitution businesses by calling them “escort services,” which were then advertised in area newspapers and telephone book yellow pages. PARIS and MARTINEZ are alleged to have collected money from johns, either in cash or by use of credit cards.

The Indictment alleges that PARIS and MARTINEZ paid male employees (“drivers”) to transport girls to the johns’ homes or motel rooms. The Indictment alleges that PARIS employed ANTONIO DOVE, also known as “Dontell Dove,” also known as “Tone,” age 35 (DOB 6/27/70), of 209 Miller Way, Windsor, Connecticut; JEROME HARGROVE, also known as “June,” age 27 (DOB 3/5/79), of 50 Spencer Street, Windsor; and WARREN WILLIAMS, also known as “Jameek,” age 38 (DOB 10/17/67), of 48 Amy Drive, East Hartford, Connecticut; to work as drivers for his prostitution business. The Indictment alleges that MARTINEZ employed CHRISTOPHER FANNING, age 31 (DOB 10/13/74), of 43 Caya Avenue, Apartment 302, West Hartford; KAZIMIERZ SULEWSKI, also known as “Kaz,” age 28 (DOB 8/26/77), of 81 Speno Ridge, Rocky Hill, Connecticut; and STEVEN TANUIS, age 26 (DOB 6/25/79), of 25 Dix Avenue, New Britain, Connecticut, to work as drivers for his prostitution business.

The Indictment further alleges that MARTINEZ operated Liberty Bail Bonds of Connecticut, LLC, which he used at various times to promote his prostitution business by bonding girls out of jail and requiring then to work off the bond through prostitution, and that TANUIS was also an employee of Liberty Bail Bonds.

The Indictment alleges that PARIS and MARTINEZ assisted each other’s prostitution business by sharing girls as needed. FORBES, who is alleged to have forced girls to work for him as prostitutes by means of violence, threats and coercion, assisted PARIS’ prostitution business by selling two girls, Jane Doe 1 and Jane Doe 2, to PARIS for $1200 each. PARIS then forced the girls to work for him and MARTINEZ.

Specifically, the Indictment charges PARIS, MARTINEZ, FORBES, DOVE, HARGROVE, WILLIAMS, FANNING, SULEWSKI, TANUIS and SHANAYA HICKS, also known as “Toni,” age 23 (DOB 4/11/82), of Hartford, with conspiracy to use an interstate facility to promote prostitution, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years and a fine of up to $250,000.

The Indictment charges PARIS, FORBES and HICKS each with two counts of sex trafficking by force fraud or coercion, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of life and a fine of up to $250,000 on each count.

The Indictment charges PARIS with 14 counts, MARTINEZ with 20 counts, and SULEWSKI with three counts of using an interstate facility to promote, manage and carry on prostitution, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years and a fine of up to $250,000 on each count.

The Indictment charges PARIS with four counts and MARTINEZ with five counts of money laundering, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years and a fine of up to $500,000 on each count.

Finally, the Indictment charges MARTINEZ with eight counts and SULEWSKI with three counts of violating the Mann Act, which prohibits the transporting of an individual in interstate or foreign commerce with intent that such individual engage in prostitution, or in any sexual activity. This charge carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a fine of up to $250,000 on each count.

“The charges in this indictment reveal that prostitution is not a victimless crime,” U.S. Attorney O’Connor stated. “This indictment alleges that women were treated as slaves, and transported not only around the Hartford area, but across state lines, to commit sexual acts against their will and under the threat of violence. The federal penalties for sex trafficking are severe, and we will prosecute this case vigorously.”

PARIS has been in state custody since his arrest on unrelated charges in February 2005. Each of the other defendants have been arrested and presented in U.S. District Court. FORBES and HICKS are currently detained and have hearings scheduled for 2:00 p.m. today before United States Magistrate Judge Donna F. Martinez in Hartford. HARGROVE and SULEWSKI are detained and have hearings scheduled for Monday, March 27. MARTINEZ, DOVE, WILLIAMS, FANNING, TANUIS have been released on bond.

U.S. Attorney O’Connor stressed that an indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Each defendant is entitled to a fair trial at which it is the Government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

U.S. Attorney O’Connor commended the work of the federal task force that has been investigating this matter. The task force consists of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Hartford Police Department and the Windsor Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James G. Genco.

CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov