Judge: Escort service can stay online

A circuit judge says attempts to close www.bigdoggie.net had problems. She will examine the evidence this month.

By Times staff writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published October 8, 2002

TAMPA -- An online escort service that authorities say is a front for prostitution remains in operation after a Hillsborough judge ruled Monday there were procedural problems with another judge's previous attempt to shut it down.

Circuit Judge Debra Behnke will permit www.bigdoggie.net to operate until she has had time to examine evidence and decide later this month whether to dismiss charges.

In June, Hillsborough Sheriff's deputies charged Charles S. Kelly, 51, of Hunter's Green and the Web site's co-owner, Steve Lipson of Boca Raton, with racketeering and multiple counts of deriving support from prostitution and aiding and abetting prostitution.

Authorities said women from around the Tampa Bay area paid to advertise their escort services on the Web site and customers paid to access solicitations for "affluent gentlemen" and "sensual couples with a generous nature for erotic companionship."

Defense attorneys say the Web site is protected under the First Amendment. Behnke also ruled that six witnesses whose names had been concealed during the investigation must be made public. Three of the witnesses are customers prosecutors said had been threatened for cooperating with the investigation. Behnke said the threats were not serious enough to warrant keeping their names secret.

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