Man Convicted of Running Tustin Prostitution Ring

Richard (Roman) Eshun, who police say was running a prostitution ring in the guise of an escort service, was convicted Monday of pimping and pandering by an Orange County jury.

Prosecutor Ken Chinn said the verdict should send a message to operators of other illicit escort services.

“Any business operating as a front for prostitution has reason to be worried,” the deputy district attorney said. “Juries are able to see through the fiction.”

Eshun’s attorney, Allan Stokke, said Monday: “My client is disappointed that the verdict went the way it did.” Stokke said it was too soon to say if Eshun would appeal.

Eshun, 36, was arrested by Anaheim police in October, 1985, and charged with 10 counts of pimping and pandering in connection with operating Great Company Escorts in Tustin. He pleaded innocent to those charges, and in an interview he told The Times that he only provided companionship to customers. He did not testify during the trial.

The Superior Court jury, after 5 1/2 hours of deliberation, found him guilty on five counts of felony pimping, three counts of felony pandering and two misdemeanor counts of aiding and abetting prostitution.

Police had said that, through the use of a shell corporation, Video Strategy Products, Eshun was able to disguise the tens of thousands of dollars he made from prostitution activity.

During the 10-day trial, prostitutes who worked for Eshun testified that they engaged in sex with customers more than 90% of the time when they went out on “dates.” They testified that “dates” were typically an hour long and that the fee was $150 in cash or $175 if an American Express card was used.

According to the testimony, Eshun received about half of the fee each time.

During his closing argument, Chinn referred to a secret tape recording that Anaheim police had made of a conversation between one of the prostitutes, Sandra Jones, and Eshun, in Eshun’s office. On that tape, Eshun said: “I’m a pimp; I make my money in the jungle.”

Chinn told the jury: “Eshun knew darn well what he had working for him.” He added that the tape and testimony from prostitutes and customers gave the jurors a first-hand view of “how it works in the jungle.”

Chinn said he was pleased with the jury’s verdict. However, his request after the conviction to increase Eshun’s bail was denied by Judge Robert A. Knox. Eshun has been free on $10,000 bail since his preliminary hearing last year.

Eshun, a Pasadena native, sat expressionless through most of the trial. However, when Chinn addressed the jury during the closing arguments, Eshun often glared at him, sometimes shaking his head in apparent disagreement.

Since the passage of a 1984 state law, judges have been required to impose a minimum three-year state prison term for anyone convicted of pimping or pandering. According to Chinn, Monday’s verdict could bring Eshun a maximum sentence of 11 years.

A Jan. 29 date has been set for Eshun’s sentencing in Department 19 of Orange County Superior Court.