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OKC police use former brothel in recent ‘John’ sting; 4 arrested; Cases could be in jeopardy

9/23/2105 – Oklahoma City police utilized a recently busted brothel during a reverse prostitution sting in early July – resulting in four arrests of alleged ‘Johns.’ But a legal technicality may put prosecutions in jeopardy.

JohnTV reported on the pre-Independence Day sting back on July 4.

According to court records, several undercover officers with the Oklahoma City Police Department’s Vice Unit, and at least one confidential informant, setup shop in a former brothel operated by the woman allegedly behind the infamous ‘Claire’s Red Door’ houses of prostitution.

JohnTV has previously reported on the arrest and subsequent criminal charges against Penny Melton/Rutter/Bates after two of her brothels were shut down by OKC Vice earlier this year.

The brothels, which were often advertised on Backpage.com and lesser known member’s only websites, were located on N. May Ave. – across the street from the exclusive Rose Creek gated neighborhood – and in an industrial area near the state capitol on N. Sewell Ave.

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Alleged brothel location at 4900 N. Sewell Ave.

Alleged brothel location at 4900 N. Sewell Ave.

It was the Sewell Ave. address that OKC Vice used as a staging area for the July sting.

According to court records, undercover officers posted ads with a telephone number on Backpage.com under ‘body rubs’ and ‘escorts.’ Responding suspected ‘Johns’ were then directed to a free standing office space at 4900 N. Sewell Ave.

Once there, anyone who agreed to sexual services in exchange for a fee was placed under arrest.

According to jail records, the following were arrested and booked into the Oklahoma County Jail…

  1. Kirk Douglas Kiespert, DOB 2/23/1981, White, Male, listed a home address in the 9100 block of Taos Trail, Lone Tree, CO. However, his Facebook page indicates he lives in OKC and recently retired from Mercedes-Benz of Oklahoma City.
    Arrested around 4:20 p.m. on July 1, after allegedly, “Once inside the room, Kiespert agreed to pay an additional $100 to have sexual intercourse with me.”
    Link to criminal charges.
  2. Eddie Paul Hunter, DOB 2/3/1969, White, Male, reportedly resides in the 200 block of Villanova Dr., Van Alstyne, TX.
    Arrested around 5:55 p.m. on July 1, after allegedly, “Once inside the massage room Hunter agreed to have the CI [confidential informant] masturbate him by hand for an additional $50.”
    Link to criminal charges.
  3. Brian David Cunningham, DOB 2/29/1968, White, Male, reportedly resides in the 4000 block of NW 62nd Terrace, in OKC.
    Arrested around 7 p.m. on July 1, after allegedly, “Once inside the massage room, Cunningham agreed to pay me an additional $100 for sexual intercourse.”
    Link to criminal charges.
  4. Mario Median-Lozano, DOB 11/1/1984, reportedly resides in the 2200 block of SW 61st Terrace in OKC.
    Arrested around 10:40 p.m. on July 1, after allegedly, “Lozano agreed to pay an additional $60 for me to have sexual intercourse with him.”
    Link to criminal charges.

On Aug. 12 all four defendants were formally criminally charged in Oklahoma County court with “offering to engage in an act of prostitution.” (see links above to view the disposition of each case)

According to Oklahoma statute, if convicted, each defendant above faces 30-365 days in jail and/or a fine up to $2,500 and between 40-80 hours of community service. The courts are also obligated to “notify the county superintendent of public health of such conviction.”

However, as we all know, virtually none of that is going to happen.

At most, each alleged ‘John’ faces no more than a deferred sentence, a tiny fine and a monthly extortion fee from Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater’s office – in the form of ‘DA supervised probation’ – think mob-esque extortion fee of $40/month. (“you pay me or I take away your freedom“)

One thing JohnTV noticed regarding each and every probable cause affidavit filed in this case…. The wording consistently says that each alleged ‘John’ “agreed to” whatever price was affixed to whatever sexual act was discussed. This very well could mean that the female undercover police officers (and at least one confidential informant) actually did the soliciting and not the defendants.

If true, this is a very slippery slope legally. One that OKC Vice and the Oklahoma County DA’s office slid-down back in April of 2007 when they lost a very high profile prostitution case when it went to trial.

In that case, controversial local defense attorney (since disbarred) Mike Gassaway was found not guilty by a jury after he was arrested and charged with misdemeanor solicitation of prostitution.

Gassaway’s defense attorney, Scott Adams, was able to convince jurors that despite Gassaway’s agreeing to exchange sex for a monetary value, Gassaway had not broken any laws.  Adams successfully argued that (now former) OKC Vice officers Jason Hodges and Chris Swanson had targeted Gassaway and had urged their confidential informant to actually make the solicitation and that Gassaway had simply “agreed to it.”

If the wording in this current sting is accurate, the very same legal gray area may have occurred in this case.

Problems with the sting may already be surfacing as defendant Median-Lozano’s charge was actually dismissed Sept. 4, “in the best interest of justice.”

Fortunately for the DA’s office, its rare that an alleged ‘John’ will take their case all the way to trial when prosecutors remind them they can simply take a plea deal and receive a deferred sentence, no conviction and a tiny fine – not to mention saving the financial cost of attorney fees for a trial.

We don’t know what happened in Median-Lozano’s case, but a good defense attorney will remind prosecutors of their overzealous, failed attempt to convict Gassaway and suggest their client’s cases also be dropped “in the best interest of justice.”

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Kiespert Kirk Douglas Mugshot John 2015-07-02

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Eddie Hunter mugshot for soliciting prostitution.

Eddie Hunter mugshot for soliciting prostitution.

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Brian Cunningham's mugshot for soliciting prostitution.

Brian Cunningham’s mugshot for soliciting prostitution.

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Mario Medina-Lozano's Mugshot for soliciting prostitution.

Mario Medina-Lozano’s Mugshot for soliciting prostitution.

 

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2015-07-01 John Sting Sewell Ave Banner

 


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