For Promoting Prostitution –

Holland Sentenced To Five Years In Prison

By Andrew Gorosko

BRIDGEPORT — A judge has sentenced a Newtown man to five years in prison, five years of probation, a $35,000 fine, plus sexual offender evaluation and treatment for his operation of a statewide prostitution ring.

Bridgeport Superior Court Judge Eddie Rodriguez, Jr, sentenced handcuffed defendant Louis J. “Buddy” Holland, Jr, 41, of 38 Little Brook Lane, Newtown, on September 14, following Holland’s July convictions on charges of promoting prostitution in the second degree, and racketeering.

Judge Rodriguez technically sentenced Holland to a term of 15 years in prison, suspended after Holland serves five of those years.

Assistant State’s Attorney Susan Filan, who prosecuted the case against Holland, said of Holland’s sentence, “It was fair, and it was appropriate, and it was about time that he went to prison.”

Previously twice convicted of promoting prostitution, Holland had never served any prison time for those convictions.

Holland was being held this week at Garner Correctional Institution on Nunnawauk Road in Newtown, according to a state Department of Correction spokeswoman. If Holland serves his maximum sentence, he would be released on September 13, 2006.

Under the terms of a plea bargain agreement between Holland and the state, Ms Filan had recommended the sentence that Judge Rodriguez imposed in court September 14.

In July, Holland pleaded guilty to charges of promoting prostitution in the second degree and racketeering in connection with his management of a statewide prostitution network, which employed almost two dozen women. Holland was charged with racketeering under the provisions of the state’s Corrupt Organization and Racketeering Act (CORA). State police lodged the charges against Holland in October 2000, following a 17-month investigation.

A charge of conspiracy to racketeer against Holland was not prosecuted.

The charges stem from Holland’s operation of Bunny’s, a “customer out-call service” that he operated from his Newtown residence and from an office in Bridgeport. Bunny’s would receive telephone calls from customers seeking the services of prostitutes, who would then be dispatched to various locations around the state. Holland advertised the operation in newspapers and the Yellow Pages, as Bunny’s, an escort service.

When he was sentenced on September 14, Holland was serving a 32-month prison term for violation of probation. Holland received that sentence in May in Danbury Superior Court. The probation violation sentence stems from Holland’s having been charged with promoting prostitution in October 2000, while he was still on probation for the most recent of his two past convictions for promoting prostitution. Holland did not contest the 32-month sentence.

In each of his two earlier convictions for promoting prostitution, Holland received $10,000 fines, three-year suspended prison sentences, and three-year probations. One of the conditions of those probations was that Holland not promote prostitution.

In October 2000, state police and investigators from the chief state’s attorney’s office served an arrest warrant on Holland at his home, charging him with promoting prostitution in the second degree, racketeering, and conspiracy to commit racketeering.

In gathering evidence for that October arrest, state police raided Holland’s Little Brook Lane home in April 2000. State police also raided the Bridgeport office Holland used for the escort service. Evidence found included credit card receipts, computer files, and financial records.

State police have said they launched their 17-month investigation into Holland’s activities after receiving an anonymous letter informing them that although Holland had been convicted in March 1999 of promoting prostitution, he was continuing to commit the same crime. Newtown police had charged Holland in June 1998 with promoting prostitution from his Little Brook Lane home, following a six-month investigation.

In charging Holland in October 2000, state police said the escort business received telephone calls from males seeking female companionship, with sexual relations being the ultimate goal. The females were dispatched to various locations around the state to meet male customers, who paid the women approximately $250 hourly for sex, according to state police. Holland received a portion of the money paid to the women, state police said.

The most recent state police investigation into Holland’s activities involved the review of credit card records, financial records, telephone records, surveillance, and interviews with employees and customers of the escort business, state police said. The credit card records indicated the names and other identifying information of the escort service’s customers, according to state police. State police reportedly found records of more than 165 customers.