KENNEBUNK — New details were made public this week about the evidence seized during the investigation of Alexis Wright and Mark Strong Sr., both of whom face charges related to running an alleged prostitution business.
Police allege that a prostitution business was operated out of the former Pura Vida Zumba studio at 8 York St. in Kennebunk.
Zumba studio owner Wright, 29, of Wells, pleaded not guilty last month to 106 counts in relation to the alleged prostitution operation, including multiple counts of violation of privacy, engaging in prostitution, evasion of income tax, and a count of theft by deception.
Strong, 57, of Thomaston, pleaded not guilty last month to 12 counts ranging from promotion of prostitution to violation of privacy. Strong is alleged to have funded Wright’s business.
A Biddeford District Court judge granted, on Oct. 31, Deputy District Attorney Justina McGettigan’s Oct. 22 request to lift the seal on search warrant materials. McGettigan had requested the documents sealed in February because she said they might jeopardize the safety of
confidential informants or witnesses.
In their investigation, police were looking for items that would relate to alleged engagement in prostitution, as well as Wright’s website for “Sensual Body Work by Lydia” and a free pornography website where Wright allegedly used the online stage name, “KiKiCu,” according to a search warrant affidavit by Kennebunk patrol officer Audra Presby.
On Dec. 22, 2011, a Maine Drug Enforcement agent placed a call to “Lydia,” who was also known as Alexis Wright. During the recorded phone call, the agent asked to book an appointment and the woman identified as Lydia agreed to engage in an unspecified sexual act with the agent, according to the affidavit.
Evidence seized on Feb. 14 at an office at 1 High St., located near the Zumba studio include a computer, camera, two camcorders, baby oil, personal lubricant, condoms, address book, planner, bank deposit slips, a sheet with information about Mark Strong, iPhone and a white envelope with “America’s Best Value Inn” written on it, according to the affidavit.
Seized from Wright’s 2006 Toyota 4Runner were a checkbook, $1,000 in an envelope and an American Airlines itinerary, according to the affidavit.
Items seized from her 158 Loop Road, Wells home included bank statements, an iPhone, a domination fetish information sheet, a notebook with names, a ledger with names, a black leather calendar appointment book with names, a computer and a Strong Agency personal loan statement, according to the affidavit.
Police found electronic records listing alleged client names, email addresses and phone numbers, descriptions of sexual acts, amounts charged for different acts and dates and times they were performed, according to the affidavit. Presby viewed “hours” of video recording of sexual acts described in the electronic ledgers, according to the affidavit, and matched the sex acts performed by Wright in the video recordings with files on the clients. The videotaped acts appeared to be recorded without the knowledge of the men who appeared in the videos, according to Presby’s affidavit.
Presby stated that, while watching the videos, she observed Wright talking on the phone or through Skype with Strong prior to a client’s arrival and every sexual act was either videotaped or sent through Skype to Strong. Presby wrote that Strong “had a significant business connection to these illegal acts.”
Recovered documents establishing a financial link between Strong and Wright, including insurance documents and bank records, were found, according to Presby, who said she also saw in the recordings Wright provide Strong with drivers’ registration numbers and request that “he run them.”
The affidavit notes that police believe Strong, who was a private investigator, was using drivers’ records from the State of Maine InforMe database to query potential clients for the alleged prostitution business.
In July, police searched Strong’s Thomaston business and residence and seized items including computers, multiple cameras, including a night-vision camera, a camcorder, and computer hard drives. Police also requested records of queries made by Strong and those associated with his private investigation business to the InforMe database.
— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 325 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.
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