Alleged Call-Girl Pimping Tapes Played at ‘Babydol’ Trial

In secretly recorded conversations, Jody “Babydol” Gibson outlined the inner workings of her escort service and boasted of the intelligent and sophisticated women working for her, including “television stars” and a former beauty queen, according to evidence at her pimping trial Monday.

“I’m looking for girls who aren’t the hard-core porno type,” said LAPD Det. Raz Kertenian, who had posed as a customer calling the California Dreamin’ escort service, on the tapes. As they talked, the two referred to pictures of escorts on an Internet site.

In a sweet yet solidly businesslike voice, a woman who called herself “Sasha,” whom Kertenian identified as Gibson, suggested an escort who “would be perfect” for the occasion and even spoke five languages.

But her availability was limited, Gibson said, because she had to work around her shooting schedule for television.

As jurors listened to the tapes booming from a cassette player atop the desk of Deputy Dist. Atty. Richard F. Walmark, Kertenian occasionally glanced at Gibson out of the corner of his eye.

Gibson, 41, allegedly the operator of an international call-girl business, has been charged with pimping, pandering and procuring for prostitution. She faces up to 17 years in state prison if convicted on all charges.

Her attorney, Gerald Scotti, had said earlier that authorities would not be able to prove his client was involved in anything other than setting up dance parties and casting and shooting pornographic videos. The defense also is questioning police conduct, alleging evidence tampering and failure to prosecute male clients. And it is suggesting that the undercover officer stepped over the line by stripping naked while with alleged prostitutes.

In phone conversations over a span of more than two months, Kertenian and “Sasha” referred to her “girls” by numbers corresponding to their photos on the California Dreamin’ Web site.

The cost for No. 14, a dark-haired, 5-foot-7 beauty, was $1,000 for two hours, Kertenian said. Through Sasha, Kertenian set up a meeting with No. 14, also nicknamed Lee, at the Century Plaza Hotel last April.

Lee arrived at Kertenian’s hotel suite, and the two sat and talked for 30 to 40 minutes, the detective testified at the trial presided over by Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Lloyd M. Nash.

She asked him to take off his clothes, he said. He complied, conduct that the defense contends was highly unusual for a police officer. LAPD policy prohibits such conduct unless the officer obtained special permission, which Kertenian in previous testimony has said he had.

But when the woman advanced, Kertenian said, he stopped her and told her to “slow down.” He told her he was enjoying their conversation and to “save it” for their next date.

The woman was so pleased that she offered to deal directly with him rather than to go through the escort service, Kertenian said.

“I pay 40% of what you pay for me to Sasha,” the woman told Kertenian, as he recalled their conversation for jurors.

In later telephone conversations, Gibson quoted a $2,000 per hour price. She also told Kertenian that she had employees in Denver, Houston and Chicago.

Kertenian, playing the role of a wealthy Middle Eastern businessman, proposed that some women be sent to Kuwait.

“It might be lucrative for you . . . and close some business [deals] for me,” he said.

Sasha did some quick math.

“It would have to be at least $30,000 a week for a girl to do that.” The price was the daily rate multiplied by seven, she explained.

Gibson was arrested at the meeting Kertenian had arranged with Sasha to discuss Kuwait.