All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The indictments announced today are not evidence of guilt. The Sedona location has been operating at 2945 Southwest Drive since 2005. Montgomery concluded by stating, “We will protect our community from the impact of criminal enterprises no matter how they may be characterized.”įounded in 2008, the Phoenix Goddess Temple has been operating at 2728 North 24 th Street in Phoenix since July 2009. “Thanks to the cooperative efforts of our law enforcement partners here in Phoenix and in Yavapai County, we are now in a position to hold these so-called healers accountable for allegedly running brothels in residential neighborhoods,” he added. “The First Amendment protection of the free exercise of religion does not allow individuals to trade sex for money, no matter how the transaction is portrayed,” said Maricopa County Bill Montgomery, whose office will lead the prosecution of the individuals named in the indictment. “Although it is not uncommon for criminals to hide their criminal acts from law enforcement, it is particularly disheartening that some would attempt to disguise their crimes as religious freedom,” said Acting Phoenix Police Chief, Joseph Yahner. Others named in the indictment face charges including conspiracy, working in a house of prostitution and massaging without a license. She faces charges of prostitution, illegal control of an enterprise, pandering, and operating a house of prostitution. Among the individuals arrested is Goddess Temple founder Tracy Elise, who was involved in a similar suspected brothel in Seattle that was shut down by law enforcement in 2009. Washington Street, Phoenix, AZ 85003.Įvidence gathered by undercover investigators indicates that male and female “practitioners” working at the Temple were in fact performing sexual acts in exchange for monetary “donations,” all under the guise of providing “Neo Tantric” healing therapies. Search warrants were executed late yesterday on locations in Sedona and Phoenix with the cooperation and support of law enforcement officials from the Sedona Police Department and Yavapai County.Ī press conference to discuss the operation will be held at 1:30pm today at Phoenix Police Department Headquarters, 620 W. Backpage has continued to host those ads after other sites - including, most notably, Craigslist - shut down their adult sections.PHOENIX, AZ (September 8, 2011) – A six-month investigation by Phoenix Police has resulted in the arrest and indictment of 18 individuals connected to the Phoenix Goddess Temple, a suspected house of prostitution operating under the pretense of providing “religious” services. The site allows users to post a variety of classified ads, but has come under scrutiny for its "adult entertainment" section, which includes escort ads. Lacey and Larkin are former owners of the Village Voice and the Phoenix New Times, The Associated Press reports.īackpage was started by Village Voice Media and is now owned by a Dutch company. All seven were released with a promise to appear in court. Two controlling shareholders of Backpage - Michael Lacey and James Larkin - also are charged with conspiracy to commit pimping. Joseph Zahara’s business partner, Julian Carlicci, 47, and his girlfriend, Regina Durkin, 27 both of Phoenix also were arrested. The CEO of, a classifieds website that allows users to post escort ads, was arrested Thursday on felony pimping charges.Ĭarl Ferrer was arrested in Houston after he arrived on a flight from Amsterdam dozens of law enforcement officers then searched Backpage's Dallas headquarters, the Texas attorney general's office says.įerrer, 55, is charged with pimping a minor, pimping and conspiracy to commit pimping. Texas Office of the Attorney General via AP Ferrer was arrested Thursday on felony pimping charges. This photo released by the Texas Office of the Attorney General shows Carl Ferrer, the CEO of Backpage, a classifieds website that allows users to post escort ads.
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