Inopportune Knock Didn’t Ruin ‘Date’

The code word was Seattle .

As soon as investigator Steve Howieson uttered that word, the five other sheriff’s investigators monitoring his motel room with eavesdropping equipment would burst through the door.

It was supposed to be a simple vice bust. Howieson had called an escort service and arranged for a noontime “date” in a low-rent Stanton motel. But a mishap almost doomed the bust. Only the good acting of Howieson and the gullibility of the “escort” kept it from failing.

As a reporter, I always like doing “ride-alongs.” It gives me a chance to see the behind-the-scenes action and experience, at least briefly, how other people make a living. It’s one of the perks of the job.

For this particular story, which was about the problem of prostitution in the county, I hung out with Orange County sheriff’s vice investigators. They seemed to be a bunch of very professional guys with a decent sense of humor and a real sensitivity about the nature of their work.

The problem with ride-alongs is, I never know if what I am witnessing is the way things really are, or the way the subjects want me to think they are. Sometimes, I wonder how my presence changes the outcomes of certain situations. On this occasion, I think the investigators were trying to be so accommodating to a Times photographer and me that the operation was almost blown.

The trouble all started when the photographer arrived at the motel on Beach Boulevard a little late. The escort was to meet Howieson--who was posing as “Howard”--in Room 218 at noon. We were supposed to be in position in Room 219 about 30 minutes beforehand. The photographer arrived at 11:50.

Timing and stealth were everything, we were told, and already the synchronicity was off.

At 11:55, we were all set to go, just sitting in the motel room with high-tech eavesdropping equipment hanging from the walls and guns lying on the beds, waiting for the escort, when the photographer realized that he needed some additional camera equipment from his car.

The deputies told the photographer to be careful and that if he saw the escort, he would have to stay back. He agreed.

About a minute later, there was a soft rap on the door. One of the deputies, assuming it was the photographer, flung open the door.

“Howard?” asked the petite blonde as she looked around the room with a puzzled stare.

“Wrong room,” the deputy said, slamming the door.

A chorus of whispered profanity circulated the room.

“We’re burned,” muttered one deputy.

“Damn, I thought it was the photographer,” said the deputy who had opened the door. “Who gave her the wrong room number?”

Meanwhile, Howieson, who heard the commotion, stuck his head out the door of his room and invited the escort in.

Through the wireless mikes, we heard part of the conversation. “It looks like the full-on cop set-up in the next room,” said the escort, whose name was Michelle. One of the investigators monitoring the conversation with headphones said that if Howieson could “pull this off, it would be a miracle.”

The escort nervously rambled on about our room, until Howieson told her that she was scaring him. “Maybe we should get a different room,” he suggested.

After that she calmed down and assured Howieson that changing rooms would not be necessary. Then, she went to the bathroom, took a shower and proceeded to model lingerie.

Minutes later, a deal was struck: $250 in exchange for sex.

When she dropped her final stitch of clothing, Howieson, in an awkward moment, mentioned that he was going on a business trip and wanted to know if he could purchase her services for the weekend.

“I’m going to Seattle,” he said.

Reaction in our room was swift, as the deputies moved out to make the arrest.

Michelle was later booked on suspicion of prostitution.