5 Arrested in Outcall Prostitution Case

The head of the San Diego Police Department’s vice detail said four outcall prostitution agencies were put out of business late Tuesday with the arrests of the agency’s owners and the man who used his business as a front to process their credit card vouchers.

The arrests marked the largest prostitution sweep this year, police said.

Ace’s Wild, Bambi’s, Campus and Candie’s outcall services are listed as model and escort agencies in various publications, including the Pacific Bell telephone directory. But according to police, agency employees accepted money or credit card payment for sex.

Undercover vice officers made numerous prostitution arrests during a yearlong investigation geared toward finding and arresting outcall prostitution agency operators. But until recently, officers said, they had a difficult time finding and prosecuting the operators of the agencies.

“They keep a very low profile,” said Sgt. Thomas Giaquinto, of the department’s vice detail. “Most operate from their homes and use the telephone to conduct business. In many cases, the prostitute has never even met her employer.”

Evidence from an earlier investigation helped police find the elusive operators. Police said vouchers seized during a 1984 arrest led them to Bruce B. Compton, 60, of Alpine, who is suspected of processing credit card vouchers for numerous outcall prostitution agencies, including the four under investigation.

According to police, Compton, who operates Pictures Are Forever photography studio in El Cajon, specializing in family portraits, acted as a front for nearly 30 outcall prostitution agencies on the West Coast. Compton was linked to the four San Diego agencies, police said, when they discovered that his business identification number was used on credit card vouchers seized during the 1984 arrest.

According to police, Compton would accept the vouchers from the agencies, then process them under the name of his business. Police believe Compton processed as much as $350,000 in vouchers over the last 12 months.

Compton was arrested Tuesday at the San Clemente immigration checkpoint along Interstate 5. He was charged with one count of pimping.

Police also arrested Rhonda Brown, 31, of Lemon Grove, and James Parker, 21; Willie Richey, 32, and Elnora Sekerak, 26, all of San Diego, at their homes Tuesday afternoon. Each was charged with one count of pimping and pandering--encouraging prostitution.

The arrests may curb business for other outcall prostitution agencies in San Diego, officials said. Evidence indicates that Compton may be linked to other agencies and, without him, the businesses will have a difficult time processing credit card vouchers, officials said.