Holland Pleads Guilty To Charges Associated With Prostitution Network

By Andrew Gorosko

BRIDGEPORT — A Newtown man pleaded guilty July 19 in Bridgeport Superior Court 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.

Appearing before Judge Eddie Rodriguez, Jr, handcuffed defendant Louis J. “Buddy” Holland, Jr, 41, of 38 Little Brook Lane, Newtown, pleaded guilty to both charges. 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.

The charges stem from Holland’s operation of Bunny’s, a “customer out-call service” which 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.

Holland is scheduled to be sentenced in court September 14.

Under the terms of a plea bargain agreement, Assistant State’s Attorney Susan Filan is recommending to the judge that Holland be imprisoned for five years; serve five years of probation after he leaves prison; and be fined $35,000.

A charge of conspiracy to racketeer, which was lodged against Holland last October, is not being prosecuted.

“I expect the judge to honor the plea bargain agreement,” Ms Filan said this week.

 This is Holland’s third conviction for promoting prostitution, but is the first time that he will be sentenced to any prison time on that charge.

Holland currently is serving a 32-month prison sentence for violation of probation. Holland received that sentence May 22 in Danbury Superior Court. That probation violation sentence stems from Holland having been charged with promoting prostitution last October, 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.

Last October 3, 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 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 for a second time, 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.