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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Former Doll House escort service owner Santiago Steven Maese has been convicted of running the service as a prostitution ring.
The 31-year-old Holladay man faces up to 30 years in prison when he is sentenced Sept. 8.
Maese was not taken into custody Friday.
He had been charged with four counts of exploitation of prostitution, third-degree felonies, each punishable by up to five years in prison. He also was charged with engaging in a pattern of unlawful activity and money laundering, second-degree felonies punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Maese was found guilty of all except the money laundering charge.
Maese's business partner, Tiffany French Curtis, had already pleaded guilty to lesser charges.
During the trial, six former escorts acknowledged performing sex acts for cash while working for The Doll House.
Maese testified Friday that he prohibited women from performing sexual acts.
But he said complete nudity was required of his escorts at appointments, while competitors charged extra for escorts to disrobe.
He also said it is legal for a client to pay to touch a woman's breasts and buttocks.
"It's about creating a fantasy," Maese testified.
Former escorts testified that while Maese never told them to have sex with clients, he encouraged it.
Former escort Heather Wright, who said she performed sex acts on 90 percent of her calls, testified that having sex was necessary for getting future clients.
Danielle Thomas, another former escort, testified that Maese had urged her to lower her prices for sex, saying that $300 was too much.
According to testimony, The Doll House charged a $145 fee to send an escort to an appointment. The Doll House got $95 of the fee and the escort got the rest. But escorts kept all money they got from clients for additional services.
Bank statements introduced as evidence show The Doll House grossed $12,000 during one month in 2005
Information from: The Salt Lake Tribune
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
