April 03, 2019 - 1:55 PM
ANAHEIM, Calif. - Four women were arrested and charged with running a prostitution network in California, Nevada and Utah that generated tens of thousands of dollars a month, authorities said Wednesday.
The women had a website that appeared to be a legitimate service but wasn't and had office space in two California cities they used as call centres, Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said.
"In this case we have women exploiting women for gain," Spitzer told reporters. "These are not victimless crimes."
Authorities said the four women are charged with pimping and pandering and the two alleged ringleaders, Jodi Leigh Hoskins, 43, and Torri Ti Wilkinson, 37, are also charged with conspiracy.
The other two women charged, Aisha Kaluhiokalani, 39, and Andrea Smith Tizzano, 30, allegedly ran the call centres, authorities said.
It was not immediately known if the women had lawyers.
Police found out about Companions Escorts a year ago through an undercover agent who was investigating human trafficking, said Sgt. Juan Reveles of the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force.
The company has a website with photos of scantily dressed women and purports to meet "ALL your adult entertainment needs."
Three women were arrested Tuesday in California. Hoskins was arrested in Nevada and authorities are seeking for her to be extradited to Southern California.
News from © The Associated Press, 2019