Thursday, August 18th 2011, 5:17 pm
Adrianna Iwasinski, News 9; Jim Apel, News9.com
OKLAHOMA CITY -- Four people were arrested Tuesday and two more are being sought in an ongoing multi-state prostitution and racketeering investigation.
Elizabeth Elaine Andrade, 28, and Julianne Renee Rupert, 29, were arrested on one count each of racketeering. Sharon Lynn Millirons, 57, and Sakhorn Casey, 31, were arrested on two counts each of conspiracy to conceal criminal proceeds.
Oklahoma City Police are still looking for Mario Diaz, 28, and Christina Byler, 33, who are both wanted on racketeering warrants.
All are believed by police to be part of a larger organized crime operation that employed fronts like carpet cleaning services to disguise their illegal business operations.
According to an arrest warrant, many clients who paid for sex would have charges on their credit cards for a "Family Carpet Cleaning." The arrest warrant states that four witnesses who claimed to have been prostitutes have come forward with information about the scope of the operation.
The witnesses claim to have made between $1,000 and $2,000 per day. They also stated the pimps would sometimes make up to $250,000 per month from the operation.
Police confirmed that this was a large operation and seized bank records, tax records and receipts.
Police said the operation stationed prostitutes at truck stops, on Robinson Ave., and would run escort service ads on craigslist and in the yellow pages.
The investigation is concentrating on activities from 2006 to the present, police said. The Oklahoma City Police Department is being assisted by the United States Secret Service and the Oklahoma County District Attorney's Office.
Anyone who has information on the whereabouts of Byler and/or Diaz is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 405-235-7300. Persons with information on this criminal enterprise are asked to call detectives direct at 316-5338.
Police said they anticipate more arrests will be made and more charges will be brought as the investigation continues.
August 18th, 2011
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