Prostitute describes working conditions during testimony

Kim Smith

Thursday, Sept. 2, 1999 | 10:14 a.m.

The second day of testimony in the federal trial of a man accused of bringing underage girls across state lines for purposes of prostitution included the testimony of a second member of the man's alleged stable.

Cheryl Davis, 20, said she moved in with Andre Taylor and two other prostitutes shortly after her 18th birthday in October 1997. At that point she had already been selling her body for three years, she said.

Authorities believe Taylor acted as pimp for a handful of women and underage girls, directing them from state to state, taking all of their earnings and bailing them out of jail frequently.

According to testimony, Taylor used his fledging career as rap artist "Gorgeous Dre" and his part in the movie "American Pimp" to impress the women.

Taylor faces six transportation-related counts and various fraud and money-laundering charges.

Taylor's wife has sat directly behind him throughout the trial and during breaks the couple frequently exchange winks and smiles.

One of the underage girls, who used the name "Astin" as one of her aliases, testified reluctantly Tuesday, but Davis gave her answers without hesitation.

When she first moved into Taylor's $300,000 Ruskin Street home, Davis said it was filled with expensive furnishings and the closets were filled with Versace suits and alligator-skin shoes. The watch Taylor wore was worth $90,000 and he wore plenty of gold rings and necklaces, Davis said.

The girls who lived with and worked for Taylor rarely got to enjoy the opulent surroundings, however.

Davis said they worked seven days a week and each day was the same.

"We'd get up, go to work, come home and go to sleep," Davis said.

Davis said she and the other girls "Astin" and "Dominique" would share a cab and have the driver drop them off at their respective favorites. She personally liked to work at Caesars Palace, the Mirage and New York-New York.

"They had some really good tricks, guys with a lots of money," Davis said.

About two months after she joined Taylor and after she miscarried his baby while in a San Diego jail, Davis said she contacted authorities to help her get out of the business.

Defense attorney Michael Kennedy in attempting to discredit Davis asked why she would move in with Taylor when, according to her, she was working on her own and had one monthly customer who paid her $1,500 for only two hours of her time.

Kennedy also pointed out that Davis had never before testified that Taylor had instructed her and Dominique to take a trip to Los Angeles. Instead, he said, Davis had previously said they took it upon themselves to go.

Taylor did instruct them to go to Los Angeles, Davis said. As for her decision to move in with Taylor, it was an act of self-preservation.

"I got scared because I spent my 18th birthday in jail," Davis said.