Police Link Irvine Man, 2 Brothers to Prostitution Ring : Crime: Authorities say operation is connected to one of the biggest escort and exotic-dancer businesses in the Southwest. Arrests are made in Newport and Tustin.

Three men who police say operate one of the largest escort and exotic-dancer businesses in the Southwest were arrested at their Orange County offices Tuesday on suspicion of running a prostitution ring in three states, police said.

The arrests of Khaled “Tony” Salah Nammari, 35; his brother, Zeid “Nick” Salah Nammari, 30; and Robert James Johnson Jr., 26, came after a three-month investigation by the Huntington Beach and the Tucson police departments.

The men operate Caliber Group Inc.--an escort and exotic-dancing service--out of offices in Newport Beach, Tustin, Moreno Valley, Tucson and Dallas, said Huntington Beach Police Sgt. Michael Willett.

The investigation revealed that “many of the escorts and exotic dancers would engage in acts of prostitution with the customers,” Willett said.

Caliber Group also operates a business distributing hard-core adult movies from the Newport Beach office, in the 3900 block of Birch Street, where the Nammari brothers were arrested Tuesday. Johnson was arrested at Caliber Group’s Tustin office, in the 14700 block of Plaza Drive, Willett said. The Nammari brothers live in Bellflower, and Johnson lives in Irvine.

All three were booked into the Huntington Beach City Jail on suspicion of pimping and pandering, money laundering and conspiracy before being released on their own recognizance late Tuesday by Orange County Municipal Judge Cory Cramine, police said. Their arraignment is scheduled for Jan. 17.

The investigation is continuing in Orange County and Dallas, “with more charges pending,” Willett said.

Huntington Beach vice investigators began looking into Caliber’s business dealings in their city several months ago. The arrest warrants, however, were issued out of Pima County Superior Court in Tucson, and Arizona authorities plan to seek extradition of the men after their arraignment in Orange County, police said.

An attorney for the Nammari brothers could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

The investigation of Caliber Group heated up late last month, when search warrants were served on the group’s Orange County business offices. The business was preparing to go on-line with an Internet pornography service out of the Newport Beach office.

Anyone with information about the business is asked to contact Willett or Detective Daryk Rowland at the Huntington Beach Police Department at (714) 536-5991.