Alleged pimp faces federal trial

Kim Smith

Monday, Aug. 30, 1999 | 3:05 a.m.

Andre Taylor could have been tried in state District Court on a variety of prostitution charges. Instead he goes on trial Tuesday in federal court on money laundering charges as part of a federal effort to get violent offenders off Las Vegas streets.

Metro Police and the local district attorney's office agreed the best strategy against Taylor, who authorities believe took children across state lines for prostitution, was to have the U.S. attorney's office pursue the federal charges.

The primary reasons are that federal sentences are stiffer and there is no parole from a U.S. prison. Federal inmates serve at least 85 percent of their time -- they can reduce the sentence with good behavior.

But there are other advantages to trying people like Taylor in the federal system, said Tom O'Connell, chief of the U.S. attorney's narcotics and violent crimes division.

"These pimps follow what they call the track," O'Connell said. "They go from city to city where there are prostitution enterprises, and there are advantages in us investigating these cases because we're the federal government."

The Western track includes Las Vegas, Honolulu, Phoenix, San Francisco and Los Angeles and other Southern California cities, Metro Vice Detective Vic Vigna said.

Not only are there usually FBI agents working in the various cities on the same track, but investigators also can call in the considerable resources of the IRS, whose agents can determine if the suspects violated any money laundering or tax evasion statutes, O'Connell said.

There's plenty of work for the cooperating authorities. Between June 30, 1994, and June 30 of this year, 339 child prostitutes were investigated by Metro Vice, the youngest one 11 years old, Vigna said. More than 200 were from out of state.

Taylor is the third alleged pimp to be tried by federal prosecutors in the past two years. During Taylor's preliminary hearing in April 1998, Cheryl Davis, 18, testified that she, a 16-year-old runaway and another girl worked for him as prostitutes.

Davis said she would bring Taylor thousands of dollars she made as a prostitute, but would receive little in return.

O'Connell said that from what he understands these men typically travel with two to three girls and each girl can make up to $2,000 per night. They travel from town to town out of fear the girls will get picked up on local warrants.

"They are exploiting children who are usually in desperate circumstances and incredibly vulnerable," O'Connell said. "These cases really jump out as those needing federal attention."

Taylor, who was indicted in March, faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted of six transportation counts and numerous money laundering counts, O'Connell said.

Howard Draper, 42, was the first alleged pimp to be tried as part of the violent crimes initiative, O'Connell said.

Draper was convicted of bringing two California teenagers to Las Vegas to work for him as prostitutes and was sentenced to 195 months in prison in December.

A 15-year-old girl testified at his trial that Draper had her soliciting customers at truck stops and over citizens band radios. She also said she got customers through outcall entertainment service work, by walking the streets of Las Vegas and by hustling in casinos.

Draper was arrested when one of the girl's customers turned out to be an undercover police officer.

The second alleged pimp, Pierre Hudson, could get between 30 and 37 months in prison when he is sentenced Sept. 3 by U.S. Circuit Judge Philip Pro. He pleaded guilty to one count of transportation of a minor across state lines for purposes of prostitution.

According to authorities Hudson brought California resident Sara Gruber, 16, to Las Vegas to work for him as a prostitute in July 1997. Gruber was strangled to death at the Luxor by one of her customers three months later. The man, Michael Hathaway, 30, must serve at least 20 years in prison before being eligible for parole.

O'Connell said several other suspected pimps are being considered for federal prosecution.