The identities of 28 men accused of frequenting a high end brothel network will be revealed for the first time at initial hearings held in open court, the Massachusetts SJC has ruled.
The Massachusetts SJC’s decision to allow public hearings for men accused of patronizing a brothel network with a location in Cambridge MA will set the precedent for opening initial hearings to the public when the accused individuals are high profile people. Anyone who is accused of purchasing sexual services who may occupy a high profile position in their career could potentially face public exposure due to increased demand for transparency and accountability for public figures and people in a position of influence. Under these circumstances, it’s imperative to hire an experienced Massachusetts Sex Crimes Defense Attorney without delay. The public stigma associated with these crimes can have massive repercussions that can impact an individual’s life permanently.
Last year Cambridge Clerk-Magistrate Sharon Shelfer Casey made a decision to open the typically private, closed-doors hearings to establish probable cause for criminal charges.
Because paying for sex is a misdemeanor, a state crime, and the men had not been arrested, they were first entitled to initial “show-cause” hearings to determine whether there was probable cause that they committed the alleged crime. According to Massachusetts Law, these hearings are held in private and the names of the accused are not released unless the magistrate decides to go forward with charges.
Criticism of the process has been building and there have been demands for increased transparency and concerns about preferential treatment for high profile individuals. Massachusetts law allows that private hearings can be public in cases where there’s an overriding public interest. Prominent media organizations pushed for an exception and sought names and information about the accused before the hearings. Following appeals by media organizations and arguments by lawyers for 18 of the accused men, the SJC heard the case and decided that the men’s reported high profile status “raised legitimate public concerns about potential favoritism and bias if such hearings were held behind closed doors,” in the opinion of SJC Justice Scott Kafker
The brothel ring was described by federal prosecutors as a “sophisticated network” that required clients to pass an extensive verification process including identifying employers and providing references. It operated in Cambridge, Watertown and in Virginia near Washington, D.C. Prosecutors said that men who availed of the brothel’s services were “public officials, military officers, and government contractors with security clearances, as well as others in positions of responsibility, power, or wealth, such as doctors, professors, and corporate executives.”
Three people accused of operating the brothel were federally indicted, and state officials filed charges against 28 local men for allegedly purchasing sexual services.
In the future, show-cause hearings about sex crimes will remain private, but the clerk-magistrate’s power to decide whether to make hearings public will be reinforced and may be wielded to show that prosecutors take these crimes seriously and are prepared to punish the individuals involved.
If you or someone you know has been accused of paying for sexual services and you occupy a high profile role, it is particularly important to take these allegations seriously and seek the services of an experienced Boston sex crimes defense attorney. At Dhar Law, LLP, we have decades of experience defending serious crimes in state and federal courts. We hold law enforcement accountable for their investigation and evidentiary standards and will fight for your rights from your investigation to standing trial. Please contact our criminal defense team today at 617-880-6155.
