No charges for Central District man accused of promoting prostitution

A Central District resident police investigated for more than a year for allegedly promoting prostitution will not face charges, the King County Prosecutor’s Office finding the case to be legally insufficient.

Seattle Police began investigating the suspect, a well-known LGBTQ and neighborhood safety activist, after a former coworker at a gay bar in Capitol Hill reported the man raped him inside his Central District home while he was under the influence of drugs in February 2017.

The alleged victim said the suspect had recently started grooming him as an escort for high-profile clients that would attend monthly parties at his home.

“(The suspect) told him explicitly that he could be working for persons in position of power, and specifically mentioned government leaders (not by name, but by role),” according to a search warrant affidavit filed in March 2017. “… He also stated that he had already placed other similar males and at least one female into similar lucrative escort work.”

Seattle Police concluded its investigation in early August, and sent its case to the prosecutor’s office for consideration of charges of promoting prostitution.

The case was not submitted for consideration of a sexual assault charge due to a lack of evidence, according to a memo from the prosecutor’s office to the investigating officer outlining why the suspect won’t be charged.

“Notably, R.N. never witnessed anything (the suspect) claimed to be taking place at his house, nor was he able to ever meet or contact other escorts that (the suspect) insisted had previously worked for him,” according to the memo, which the Madison Park Times acquired through a public records request.

A “significant barrier” to filing charges was the fact that the alleged victim “never actually engaged in prostitution,” the memo states, “or took a substantial step towards doing so” for the suspect, who denied the sexual assault and promoting prostitution.

A number of computers, video cameras, phones — including a plastic bag containing seven cellphones — a lunchbox with paraphernalia and crystallized powder, pills, USB and external hard drives, and paperwork for a Steamworks Bath membership were seized during the execution of a search warrant at the suspects home in March 2017, according to an inventory and return of search warrant.

“No incriminating evidence was discovered concerning either the sexual assault or the offense of promoting prostitution,” the KCPO memo states.

MPT has filed a public records request to obtain investigation documents related to this case. Because the suspect is not being charged, MPT is not naming the subject.