WHEELING'S "GREEN DOOR" BUSTED

[pleaser]

‘Brothel’ Raided

By GABE WELLS and MICHELLE BLUM Staff Writers

WHEELING — What is believed to be Wheeling’s last operating house of prostitution was closed Wednesday in a raid led by city police officers, and steps are being taken to keep it closed permanently.

Four women were arrested in the raid at a building commonly known as the “Green Door” at 2126 Main St., Center Wheeling. The raid began at about 2 p.m. Wednesday, Police Chief Kevin Gessler said.

The exact charges the individuals will be facing have not yet been determined, he said.

Those arrested were:

[Names removed as this post is in a "open" area of the board - you can use the provided link to the actual article if you want the details - MMD]

A man also was arrested at the house but was later released pending further investigation, Gessler said.

[Name Removed - MMD] has been identified in title searches as the owner of the Center Wheeling building. She reportedly was acting as a “madame,” or operator of the house, Gessler said.

At a news conference following the raid, Gessler and Ohio County Prosecutor Scott Smith indicated steps would be taken to permanently close the house.

Later in the day, Gessler said Wheeling City Manager Robert Herron approved his request to have the building boarded up and padlocked, the first step in efforts to have the building declared a public nuisance.

The house has been under investigation for many years but Gessler said development in the Center Wheeling area caused law enforcement officers to step up their efforts recently. The building, he said, “detracts” from the redevelopment in the neighborhood.

“It’s obvious,” Gessler commented. “Just look at the development in Center Wheeling and then look at what you have on the other side of the street.”

The building has been under surveillance for some time, Gessler said, noting investigators will be contacting those who have been identified as possible customers of the Green Door. Those who fail to cooperate will face charges, he said.

The raid followed “an exchange, a business arrangement was made for sexual favors” between an undercover officer and one of the women, Gessler said. Wheeling police officers, accompanied by members of the Ohio Valley Drug Task Force, then entered the building, took the five people into custody and secured the building before seeking a search warrant for the property, he said.

Officers spent much of Wednesday afternoon searching the building but Gessler could not say whether drugs, cash or other items were found there.

Smith said he is prepared to go to Ohio County Circuit Court as early as Friday, June 30, with a petition asking that [Name Removed - MMD] not be permitted to continue operating the house or having any involvement in the property. He said he will first seek a temporary injunction and then will seek to “permanently enjoin” [Name Removed - MMD] from operating it as the Green Door or living there.

Smith’s efforts also will include seeking forfeiture of the building. Gessler said the “lion’s share” of the proceeds of a sale of the building would go to the police department.

“We will ask that fines and costs be assessed and seek to have the property forfeited and declared a public nuisance so that it could be sold to someone for a lawful business,” Smith said.

Gessler said those involved in prostitution inside the building had several methods for keeping police out. He pointed out three doors with steel screens at the front of the building and surveillance cameras in the rear. Gessler said the building was raided by police a decade ago, but the prostitution did not stop.

“It has been a known prostitution house for a long time,” Gessler said. “The last raid was in 1996. That was the most recent, and it continued to be a nuisance.”

Updated by MMD:
Link: http://www.news-register.net/articles.a ... cleID=7792
Related Link: http://www.news-register.net/articles.a ... cleID=7866

[MingoMan]

I have a cousin who is with the Wheeling police dept. he is a good guy, and usually gives me the skinny on things before they go down. And he said that this bust was going to be during the day, so that way it made it look like they were doing something, usually in the evenings, especially on the weekends there are up to 10 girls in there. The crap about the place being forclosed is just so that people will get off there backs...don't surprised if in a month its open for business again.

[missionary man]

I have a buddy who frequents this place. He tried several times to get me to go with him but knowing how le is such a presence in downtown i had to turn him down. I wouldent be suprised if it were open again soon.

[fullzodiac]

Wheeling became a home to the professional ladies when the town became the nail making capitol of the world in the 1800's. Dock workers walked up the muddy river banks for some late afternoon brew, a Marsh Wheeling stogie, some relaxation, and release. Watch for the grand reopening celebration very soon at a rehabbed building near you.

[shay]

OOOOH SHIT THAT WAS AT ONE TIME A GREATTTTTTTT HOUSE AT ONE TIME **brings back memories**