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A Tampa man accused of running the site is among those arrested after a two-year investigation.
By AMY HERDY, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times, published June 19, 2002
TAMPA -- Posing in a pink bikini, Lia Nice beckoned men from an Internet site.
For $300 an hour, the 24-year-old promised to be "a sexy, funny lady."
She turned out to be a decoy.
The fictitiously named Ms. Nice became the key to a two-year investigation of a worldwide Internet prostitution ring run by a resident of the gated Hunter's Green subdivision in north Tampa, officials said.
The Web site contained message boards for prostitution in all 50 states and several countries, including Canada, Germany and France, investigators said.
Early Tuesday, Hillsborough sheriff's deputies began making arrests in the case, which they had dubbed Operation Flea Collar. Deputies charged Charles Kelly, 51, of Ashworth Drive in Hunter's Green and his partner, Steve Lipson of Boca Raton, with owning and operating bigdoggie.net, a Web site that investigators said openly promoted prostitution.
As president of the corporation that controlled the site, Kelly claimed to make $18,000 a month from it, officials said.
"They made no effort to even be discreet about it," said sheriff's Cpl. Kirk Bowling.
Residents of Kelly's subdivision were in disbelief at news of the arrest.
"I can't believe that, especially for Hunter's Green," said neighbor Cindee Keaton, 44. "I am just so shocked."
Investigators also charged Darcy Piotrowski, 38, of Trouville Drive in Carrollwood Village with conspiracy to racketeer, five counts of committing prostitution and five counts of operating a place for prostitution.
Piotrowski, also listed as "Tampa courtesan" on jail records, organized luncheons for the escorts in high-end restaurants and provided professional speakers on such topics as how to avoid law enforcement and what to do about taxes, Bowling said. She threw lavish parties in South Tampa and Ybor City featuring champagne and piano players, he said.
Most of the escort's clients were white collar professionals who earned hefty salaries.
"I call them six-figure guys," he said.
Here's how the business worked: For $129.95 a year, the Web site offered detailed instructions to members, called "hobbyists," on topics ranging from how to hire an "escort" or "provider" to a glossary of terms to use for sexual acts.
Fees for the escorts' services ranged from $175 an hour to $17,000 for a date with a porn star, said Bowling, who estimated about 50,000 people worldwide had used the Web site.
Escorts paid Kelly and Lipson $129 a year to be listed on the Web site, with large ads costing extra. A "banner ad" cost as much as $900 a month, Bowling said.
Kelly also exchanged sex for advertising, he said.
Tipped off about the Web site about two years ago, investigators tried twice to use a decoy with no success.
The first time, they did not use a photo, Bowling said, and were immediately identified as police officers and kicked off the site.
A second attempt, using the name "Millennium Babe," got little response. Then deputies hit the escort jackpot, Bowling said: An informer gave investigators permission to use a photo of her clothed in a bikini, her face hidden from view.
In February, Lia Nice was born. A deputy drew her first name from a stripper he once busted for drugs.
In 10 minutes the Web page received 3,000 hits, Bowling said.
"We had to shut it down," he said.
Potential customers who offered Lia Nice money for sex were persuaded to cooperate with the Sheriff's Office, Bowling said, and provided the key to bringing the charges against Kelly, Lipson and 21 women accused of prostitution.
The women, including Piotrowski, were from various cities in the bay area, including St. Petersburg, Largo, Land O'Lakes, Tampa and Clearwater.
Kelly's wife, who answered the door of their one-story, cream-colored stucco home, declined to comment Tuesday.
Kelly faces charges including 16 counts of deriving support from prostitution, 21 counts of aiding and promoting prostitution, racketeering and purchasing the services of a prostitute. He is being held in lieu of $195,000 bail.
Bowling said that in the next several weeks, he expects to make many more arrests in the case, including clients.
"We'll be knocking on a lot of people's doors," he said.
-- Times staff writer Ryan Meehan and researcher John Martin contributed to this report. Amy Herdy can be reached at (813) 226-3386 or herdy@sptimes.com.