By Joseph Ax
NEW YORK, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Manhattan madam Anna Gristina
was sentenced in state Supreme Court to time served on Tuesday,
bringing a quiet end to a case that had generated lurid
headlines in the New York media.
The suburban mother of four was arrested in February after a
five-year investigation involving wiretaps and charged with one
count of promoting prostitution for allegedly operating a
high-end brothel out of a Manhattan apartment.
Prosecutors said at the time that she was captured on tape
bragging of her connections inside the Federal Bureau of
Investigation and the police department, fueling speculation
that her arrest could lead to a wider scandal.
But prosecutors were unable to substantiate her boasts,
leaving a simple prostitution case that nevertheless generated
some bizarre moments. Nine different defense lawyers appeared in
connection with the case, including one who offered to put up
his apartment as collateral for her bail.
The "Soccer Mom Madam," as she was known in the tabloids,
pleaded guilty in September in exchange for a sentence that
would credit the four months she spent in jail after her arrest.
As part of her plea, she admitted arranging a tryst between two
prostitutes and a man who turned out to be an undercover police
officer, according to court documents.
At her appearance on Tuesday before Acting Supreme Court
Justice Juan Merchan, Gristina declined to say anything before
her sentence was imposed.
"It's probably better, Your Honor, that I don't," she said.
Gristina could face deportation to her native Scotland after
her conviction on a crime of moral turpitude. Her lawyer, Norman
Pattis, said they have not heard from immigration authorities
but were prepared to fight, adding that "enough is enough."
Manhattan district attorney spokeswoman Erin Duggan said in
a statement, "Anna Gristina rented women's bodies for profit,
which makes her a pimp. That also makes her a felon, and the
court has now issued that judgment. She has no one to blame but
herself for her decisions."
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