‘Desert Diva' arrests keep coming

Phoenix police continue to make arrests in the Desert Diva's prostitution ring, picking up 19 more suspects this month in addition to the 24 booked last year for a variety of crimes, including money laundering, maintaining a house of prostitution, pandering and illegal control of an enterprise.

One of those arrested last year, 40-year-old Sean Carter of Ahwatukee Foothills, entered a guilty plea last month to illegal control of an enterprise, money laundering and use of a wire or electronic communications, all felonies. Six other charges were dropped as part of a plea agreement. No date has been set for sentencing, but Carter has an appearance scheduled for June 1 in Maricopa County Superior Court.

The latest round of arrests this month included four suspected customers and phone operators who helped schedule the prostitutes with customers and one man accused of being the operation's photographer.

"This case is beyond prostitution," County Attorney Andrew Thomas said. "This is a major criminal syndicate that allegedly made millions of dollars." He said the operation banked as much as $250,000 a month.

Thomas said the overall organization, Night Entertainment Partners, was providing prostitutes through a number of Web sites, including ‘desert Divas,' ‘Az. Confidential,' ‘Hip Tours' and ‘Escorts in Action.' They also filmed sex acts with the prostitutes, which were then made available for viewing through the Internet. Of those arrested, 20 were alleged to be prostitutes and the others were in management positions.

The operation was centered in the Phoenix area, although people as far away as Florida, Colorado, Washington and New Mexico were taken into custody during the past few weeks.

Police have confiscated computers and records, three homes, eight vehicles, six rifles, 12 handguns and two silencers.