In June 2009 I wrote an article: Overkill in Colorado. I described the indictment and takedown of one Nan O'Reilly, a longtime massage parlor owner in Grand Junction. Nan's business was investigated by local, state, and federal agencies and the entire attack was indeed overkill.
The Grand Junction P.D. went so far as to open a hotline and request that clients of Nan's parlor contact them before they were contacted. They actually thought that they were going to parade hundreds of clients in a courtroom fiasco. Is that laughable or what? From what I've been reading recently some cities and towns in Colorado can't even afford to keep the street lights on anymore.
There was all sorts of news on the indictment and publicity for the hotline. The police chief actually had the audacity to insinuate that "human trafficking" charges could be filed against Ms. O'Reilly as well. They had already charged her with racketeering, pimping, tax evasion, keeping a place of prostitution, and promoting sexual immorality. Well, the plea deal is for Nan to plead to the pimping charge and the tax evasion charge and receive a sentence of probation, and possibly up to 90 days in jail.
Considering that the overkill case could have resulted in 2 to 30 years in prison and up to $850,000 in fines, this is an amicable agreement. I wonder where all of this goodwill comes from? I can just imagine the answer though.
Besides the answer that is on my mind, I must also imagine that Grand Junction and the State of Colorado can't afford to prosecute as the original agents intended and desired. It is all about the economy, and I will suppose that keeping the courts functional is more important than overzealous morals prosecutions. The state and local budgets simply do not have room for such a morals agenda. It is time to throw the overzealous agents back in their closet. You see, this is the good part in relation to states running out of money.
Nan O'Reilly won't be sentenced until April, but the deal has already been made. It is a deal that anyone would agree to.
Congratulations to Nan and her attorney Stephen Laiche!
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