KENNEBUNK — After ordering police to withhold the addresses of those charged with engaging a prostitute Monday, Justice Thomas Warren revised his decision Tuesday, according to a statement from the Kennebunk Police Department.
MaineToday Media, Inc., publisher of the Portland Press Herald, filed motions to intervene and for expedited reconsideration, among other motions, in Cumberland County Superior Court Tuesday.
The motion to intervene states that the company sought to do so “for the purpose of objecting to the John Doe plaintiffs’ attempt to prevent disclosure of public records.” The motion for expedited reconsideration said that there is “no legal basis for the Court’s ruling that the addresses of persons who have been summonsed for the offense of engaging a prostitute are confidential, and requests that the Court reconsider that ruling.”
Justice Warren had denied a motion Monday from attorney Stephen Schwartz that sought to prevent release of the names of two of the alleged clients, named only as “John Doe 1” and “John Doe 2,” of Alexis Wright, who is facing 106 charges related to operation of an alleged prostitution business out of her Kennebunk Zumba studio.
However, the men’s addresses were being withheld, because some of them may be victims of criminal invasion of privacy for allegedly being filmed without their knowledge while engaging in sexual acts, according to the court documents. Ages were also being withheld by the police department earlier Monday because “releasing ages would be ”˜identifying’ information,” Kennebunk Police Lt. Anthony Bean Burpee said Tuesday afternoon.
Kennebunk Police released a summons list last Friday with a note specifying that the names of those summonsed in connection with the alleged prostitution business would be withheld, at least temporarily. The names of those summonses were released by the department at 5:45 p.m. Monday after the ruling on the appeal. The list was updated Tuesday morning to include middle initials and suffixes, but excluded the ages and addresses.
Burpee expressed frustration at the situation, prior to the news of the judge’s reversal Tuesday, saying they have heard a lot of comments and fielded a lot of questions, particularly from the media, on the lack of identifying information on those charged. The department was “caught in between” due to the court order to withhold addresses, he said.
On Tuesday at about 5:45 p.m., Burpee released a statement along with the names, ages and addresses of those charged with engaging a prostitute. Burpee noted in the statement that in a telephone conference call with counsel for the interested parties late Tuesday, the department was notified that Justice Warren revised his Oct. 15 order to allow the department to disclose the home addresses and ages of those summonsed. The Journal Tribune was unable to obtain a copy of the revised order by press time.
Burpee went on to say in the statement, in part, “Only the names of those individuals for whom summonses have been issued, based on probable cause, will be released in the aforementioned manner. ”¦ Moreover, please be mindful of the presumption of innocence under the law. A summons is not a conviction; it is only a charge.
“The Town of Kennebunk is not commenting on any names released. All of us who know and appreciate Kennebunk as the wonderful, family-oriented community it is are saddened by this situation. Part of the strength of our community, however, is our willingness to work through difficult times together while respecting each other’s privacy.
“We have every confidence that will be true in this instance as well.”
Wright, 29, of Wells, the owner of the Pura Vida Zumba fitness studio in Kennebunk, which is alleged to have been the site of a prostitution business, was arraigned at Cumberland County Superior Court in Portland last week and pleaded not guilty to all 106 counts against her, including multiple counts of violation of privacy, engaging in prostitution, evasion of income tax and a count of theft by deception.
Mark Strong Sr., 57, of Thomaston, who was arrested in June in connection with the investigation into the studio by the Kennebunk Police Department and Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit, was arraigned simultaneously and pleaded not guilty to 12 counts of promotion of prostitution, a count of conspiracy to promote prostitution, and multiple counts of violation of privacy.
The following people have been charged with engaging a prostitute: Gary D. Bahlkow, 57, of 15 Lawrence Road, North Yarmouth; Jens W. Bergen, 54, of 79 Portland Road, Kennebunk; Norman P. Crepeau Jr., 46, of 2 Channel Cove Lane, Biddeford; Joseph P. Cuetara, 63, of 10 Commercial Wharf, Suite 511, Boston; Kenneth A. Fairbanks, 54, of 177 Ridge Road, Lisbon Falls; Donald F. Hill, 52, of 139 Union Ave., Old Orchard Beach; Monie B. Hobbs Jr., 43, of 11 Aaron’s Way, North Berwick; David Kline, 51, of 870 Central Road, Rye Beach, N.H.; Robert R. Labonte, 61, of 8 New County Road, Saco; Dale P. Madore, 34, of 242 West Pownal Road, North Yarmouth; Paul A. Main, 43, of 153 South St., Biddeford; Harry J. McMann, 55, of 76 Morning St., Portland; Kevin L. Pagliccia, 39, 200 Frost Road, Lyman; Claude S. Palmer Jr., 47, of 117 Pottle Road, Oxford; Philip K. Parker, 65, of 125 Ross Road, Kennebunk; Colin P. Powers, 39, of 4 Ramsay Terrace, Scarborough; Clinton J. Ray, 42, of 150 Falmouth St., Portland; James A. Soule, 58, of 23 Whitworth Drive, South Portland; John D. Verreault, 50, of 1 Seafields Lane, Saco; James P. White, 38, of 50 Lord Road, Buxton; and Peter M. Wormell Sr., 61, of 200 Brook St., Westbrook.
All those summonsed are scheduled to appear in Biddeford District Court on Dec. 5 at 1 p.m.
— Staff Writer Jeff Lagasse and Managing Editor Kristen Schulze Muszynski contributed to this report. Robyn Burnham can be contacted at 282-1535 Ext. 329 or rburnham@journaltribune.com.
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