The lawyer of the Thomaston man accused of being involved in an alleged Kennebunk prostitution operation is asking a judge to dismiss the case against his client.
Mark Strong Sr., 56, was charged last month with promotion of prostitution, a misdemeanor. Police began investigating Alexis Wright and her Pura Vida Zumba studio after receiving complaints about possible illegal activities at her two business locations.
In his motion to dismiss, Daniel Lilley, Strong’s lawyer, said prosecutors have failed to comply with the rules of discovery. In his complaint filed Thursday, Lilley wrote that all discovery should have been provided to him by Aug. 10.
Lilley noted that Strong has an court date scheduled for Oct. 4 in York County Superior Court. The proceeding is one in which the defendant would plead guilty or a trial date would be set.
Lilley said his client will not plead guilty.
“I can’t get anything out of them. They’re treating me like an unwanted relative and they won’t give me any discovery,” Lilley said in a brief telephone interview.
Deputy District Attorney Justina McGettigan said the state will address Lilley’s motion in court.
Lilley questioned how his client could be charged with promotion of prostitution when no one has been charged with prostitution in the case.
“It takes two to tango,” Lilley said.
Neither Wright nor any of her alleged clients — whose identities have not been released — have been charged with any offenses.
Searches of Wright’s business and Wells home turned up video recordings of sex acts she performed, billing information and meticulous records about the clients, according to a police affidavit for Strong’s arrest warrant.
While the identities of the clients have not been released, criminal defense lawyers familiar with the case have said that the list is extensive and includes the names of well-known individuals.
Police have called in the suspected customers, confronted them with the allegations and shown them incriminating footage of the engaging in sex acts, according to one local criminal defense attorney.
Sarah Churchill, Wright’s lawyer, was unsuccessful in her attempt to gain access to documents about the case.
Churchill asked a judge to unseal affidavits for the search warrants executed at Wright’s business locations on York and High streets in Kennebunk and at Wright’s home in Wells.
Those documents were under seal when Strong was arrested and have since been resealed until November.
District Court Judge Wayne Douglas denied her motion Tuesday, Churchill said.
Churchill said she needs the documents to determine what investigators know that she doesn’t know about and also to determine whether the warrants were valid.
“I always thought that there had to be a reason to seal those kinds of things,” Churchill said. “Sometimes if information is out in public, that could hamper the investigation. But based on what I know, that is not the case.”
McGettigan said she could not offer much comment.
“It’s a continuing investigation. Once the investigation is complete, the information will be forthcoming,” she said.
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