Norcross.Talk

By Mike

January 21, 2007 09:26 PM | Link to this

Who cares??? Two consenting adults having sex?? Is there nothing more important the police could be doing? I am married and beleive me when I tell you every time I have sex I have to pay for it….. In one way or another..

By VoHongPhuc

January 21, 2007 10:16 PM | Link to this

DA Danny Porter and Chief Walters really are wasting the tax payer dollar. We have a large gang problem and they decide to go after white collar crime. People paying each other for sex doesn’t have any effect on my day to day life, but gangs and petty crime do. It’s a sad reality that those who we pay to protect us decide to go after high fines and seizing property rather than dealing with the real crime problems in Gwinnett. No wonder the county is going to hell.

By Michael

January 21, 2007 11:09 PM | Link to this

New York has a better selection of call girls and your potential arrest will not make local news. Go Airtran.

By Norcross Oldtimer

January 22, 2007 12:17 AM | Link to this

Are you kidding? This is nothing new. Ask Gwinnett DA and County police when will they clean-up the corner of Indian Trail and Brook Hollow.

They’ve known about it for years and have done nothing. My guess is that cleaning this up would’nt get the press that the high dollar prostitution ring bust gets.

By IC

January 22, 2007 07:57 AM | Link to this

I find it a bit amusing that Mr. Porter would expend the amount of resources he has prosecuting this case when we have politicians in Gwinnett that appear to be little more than high end prostitutes going unfettered by our esteemed DA’s office.

But then I don’t suppose most of the “good folk” in Gwinnett County object to political w*******, they keep re-electing them.

By mark

January 22, 2007 08:49 AM | Link to this

Decent peole don’t want this filth around their homes and families. Danny Porter and the police are doing a great job.

By Bruce Wilcox

January 22, 2007 09:45 AM | Link to this

Last year we hit a new record on the number of murders, last night another was murdered in a church parking lot. But rest assured “Danny Porter and the police are doing a great job.” I’d rather have a prostitute hanging around than a gangster or murder.

By VoHongPhuc

January 22, 2007 09:47 AM | Link to this

Mark, Porter and the police are doing a lousy job. I didn’t know there was prostitution until the story broke on the news. I can’t see what other people do in the privacy of their own homes or businesses, which is the way it should be. I can see gang graffiti and I can see the mess after my house gets burgled by what GCPD says is a “latino street gang” problem. Your priorities and Danny Porter’s are in the wrong place. I’ll trade you my neighbors and all their junk cars in exchange for the brothel. At least Ms. Taylor charged up to$10,000 per client so we know she has the money to keep her property neat.

By LT5000

January 22, 2007 10:41 AM | Link to this

Gwinnett needs to do what Giuliani in NYC did. Start prosecuting the little laws. i.e. littering, drinking in public, loud music, speeding on backstreets. Then move on to the illegals themselves.

I live right off Jimmy Carter and I would love to catch the SOB’s who treat my street like a trash can and blow through every 4 way stop. I guess they don’t have trash cans in Mexico, because they certainly don’t know how to use them.

By Leah

January 22, 2007 11:38 AM | Link to this

I don’t understand why some are complaining about cops doing their jobs. Isn’t prostitution illegal? I think the GCPD should try to address all of the ills of the community: gangs, drugs, prostitution, murders, burglaries, robberies, etc. All of these actions bring forth decay and lower property values. No one wants to live in a crime ridden area. And prostitution leads to other unwanted behavior. Does anyone remember Stewart Avenue? Once it moves in, it is almost impossible to get it out and shake the negative image. The residents and businesses of South Gwinnett as a whole should take back their community, one street at a time, with the help of law enforcement. Individuals must take a stand and not ignore what’s going on. Even if the person committing the crime lives in your own home. I used to live near Jimmy Carter Blvd; you couldn’t PAY me to live there now. Do what you have to do to clean it up!

By Janet_G

January 22, 2007 12:52 PM | Link to this

For all of those people who believe that prostitution is a “white collar” crime or that it “happens behind closed doors” or is less offensive than gang crime, I have one question: How much do you think your home would be worth on the real estate market, if you lived in an area where street walkers plied their wares openly on every street corner?

Prostitution is not a “victimless” crime and it flourishes in an atmosphere of other crimes, such as robbery, assault, drug dealing, public drunkenness, etc.

Police are paid with our tax dollars to enforce the laws, ALL OF THE LAWS, not just the ones that they choose to enforce. Personally, when I drive down Burns Road to my subdivision and see hookers walking the road just blocks from where our children ride their bikes and play, I’m horrified.

Yes, it’s prevalent in Gwinnett County and I don’t care if it’s happening on a street corner, in a back alley or a million-dollar home, it’s the same crime and it needs to be addressed the same way: arrest the prostitutes AND the johns. I support the Gwinnett police and Danny Porter 100% in this effort.

By Paulie

January 22, 2007 03:38 PM | Link to this

Perhaps the minimal typical turnout of voters should decide which laws they “like” and those will be the only ones enforced. Duh?

Incidentally, I personally have worked with zoning compliance on numerous cases over the years, and cannot say enough about their efforts (yard parking, too many residents, trashed up houses, etc.). For anyone actually conversant with the situation, the problem lies in Recorder’s Court and not with the street enforcement efforts.

Anyway, has anyone mentioned that AIDS kills far more people than cancer, and that roughly one out of five “professional ladies” carry the life taking HIV “gift”?

By VoHongPhuc

January 22, 2007 05:18 PM | Link to this

Janet_G, the police are not paid to enforce all of the laws. There is this thing called limited budget. The chief or the sheriff has to pick and choose which laws will be enforced based on available funding. If your department can’t afford radar guns then you’re not going to be writing too many speeding tickets are you? If we lived in a perfect world and there was an unlimited budget then you could enforce all laws all the time. Unfortunately I’m not going to support a tax increase to fund 1 cop per citizen in Gwinnett.

By Bruce Wilcox

January 22, 2007 08:02 PM | Link to this

Paulie is there anything you’re not an expert on or can not do? We all know by now that for around 23 years you have been donning your cape and fighting crime in Gwinnett, only problem it’s getting worse not better.

In your expert opinion the fault is the Recorder’s Court, not street enforcement, could you explain what the Recorder’s Court has to do with the record number of murders last year?

By mark

January 22, 2007 08:19 PM | Link to this

It is amazing to me that so many people are critical of a man with integrity and courage. It shows what they lack themselves. Some of these posts are proof of that.

If we lived in a perfect world, we wouldn’t need police at all because everyone would know how to behave themselves. Blame the criminals but also the apologists who use false reasoning to destroy the greater sense of right and wrong. If you can tolerate “quiet crime” and don’t mind prostitutes hanging around outside your door, gangsters and worse will not be far behind. You deserve to live in a corrupt third world kitty litter box.

Keep it up and your fate may be delivered.

By Bruce Wilcox

January 22, 2007 11:11 PM | Link to this

Mark do you really think that it was/is the prostitutes that gave us the record number of murders last year? I guess it’s all in what you think is worse, a john or a body behind a church.

By Elliot Nest

January 22, 2007 11:23 PM | Link to this

D.A. Porter is a publicity-hungry loon. He is also a thin-skinned creep who would love to jail every person behind each post on this blog expressing an opinion that is contrary to his self-righteous crusade. He claimed he could not arrest Ashley Smith, a confessed narcotics user/supplier. What he meant was that the bleached blonde trash was high in public opinion at the moment and, therefore, untouchable. Contrast Asslee with fake-boobed bug-eyed Willbanks, who was prosecuted with a vengeance. Porter has bubbles in his think-tank, and a lot of lawyers in Gwinnett agree.

By Katie

January 23, 2007 05:59 AM | Link to this

These prostitutes are drug addicted and diseased. I’m sure many have STD’s if not HIV. The bottom line is that prostitution is illegal and the laws should be inforced. I agree with the post, way up above, about cracking down on the very small crimes and working up to the larger ones. The police should start at the Knights Inn and the worst Waffle House ever, next door. The Cheveron across the street has w******* around it all the time. They’re nasty and people don’t want to stop where there are prostitutes milling around like hawks.

By Paulie

January 23, 2007 06:56 AM | Link to this

Actually, I thought that the concept was clear, but please let me attempt to explain more simplistically for the understanding impaired. If you care about the place that you call home and put forth the effort to work on it, it WILL improve. Our neighborhood has, as can yours. Get up, get out, and make things better, or please do the rest of us a favor - quit the fruitless griping and leave.

FYI, the “small” crimes are very much like malignant cancer cells - leave just a very few unchecked, and they quickly breed and multiply into the more serious life threatening varieties. Take care of the small stuff, and the big things will soon become nonexistent. Again, it has clearly worked for us - we have gone from fearful to fantastic. Come on over and check us out sometime and I’ll show you our “before” photos and statistics.

By Frank Knitter

January 23, 2007 08:13 AM | Link to this

Hey, Elliot Nest, my not-so-wild guess is that defense attorneys mainly dislike Danny Porter, based upon his excellent performance as their ever so effective opponent. My wife went to law school with him, and we happen to greatly appreciate the job that he has done, particularly in light of whatcha call the Constitution and all that there.

Lighten up, Gwinnett - are blogs where all the negative nellies go to vent their personal lack of knowledge or what?

By IC

January 23, 2007 08:53 AM | Link to this

Let’s get the women performing the oldest profession in the world and continue to ignore the rampant white collar crime happening everywhere in Gwinnett that is costing much, much more.

Great Job, DP

By Bruce Wilcox

January 23, 2007 09:13 AM | Link to this

Basic facts, we do not have anywhere near the amount of police officers to do the job. The commissioners can cut $6 million from the budget then double their pay, but can not afford more police. It sounds like the county is following the Bush plan for Iraq. These officers run from call to call with more backed-up. The idea that we tackle the small crimes while we have a record number of murders is a little backward, but not unusual.

Now is a transit motel a neighborhood Paulie? How many low-lifes can you fit in these eyesores that line 85? There is a big difference between a homeowner and a slumlord Paulie, maybe in the tiny neighborhood you control all are homeowners, not true in all neighborhoods. A slumlord considers a fine the cost of doing business and the boarders just need a place to sleep. Code enforcement is overworked, the excuse for every department in the county, you get what you pay for.

My neighborhood is doing fine Paulie, sorry I do not save photo’s or stories my ego does not need to be boosted.

By Frank Knitter

January 23, 2007 09:34 AM | Link to this

Great, IC - I encourage you to let Chief Walters, Danny Porter, and your Commissioner know the specifics of your charge. Given some real evidence, I guarantee that they will follow-up on whatever it is that you’re vaguely asserting. Put up or shut up, as they say!

By LT5000

January 23, 2007 09:36 AM | Link to this

There is also a 24-hour code violation reporting hotline at 678.518.6032. Don’t just call about prostitution and other major crimes. Enforce the petty crimes too.

Use it and call the police whenever there is a small problem in your neighborhood. A police presence makes a big difference. You are paying for it, might as well use it.

By Paulie

January 23, 2007 09:53 AM | Link to this

Sorry, Bruce, but that just doesn’t wash. Your neighborhood is a virtual trash dump (graffiti, increasing gang activities, break-ins, etc. - just had a friend about two blocks from you replace his roof - it was riddled with bullets from various “cultural celebrations”). We and several groups in our immediate vicinity (there are 125 homes in my subdivision, and we have loose alliances with roughly 650 others nearby) have had a 92% decrease in crime over the past few years. Whatever we’re doing works – words are cheap, but results tell the tale.

By Janet_G

January 23, 2007 09:57 AM | Link to this

Police officers will tell you that code enforcement and thus Recorder’s court has everything to do with more serious crimes such as murder and prostitution being committed in that neighborhood. It’s called the “broken window” theory and it’s proven. It starts with one broken window that goes unrepaired, then a peeling paint job and then junk cars parked in the yard. One house goes downhill and then another and another. It spreads like a cancer through a neighborhood if it is ignored.

Once a neighborhood begins to look rundown, homeowners begin to sell or rent out their homes, the worse the neighborhood gets in appearance, the lower the rents become and less savory the tenants are. A neighborhood that is uncared for tells a criminal that he is more likely to be able to rob, steal or hurt someone without being reported to the police and that invites crime.

The Recorder’s court judge who refuses to enforce the laws of Gwinnett county and will not fine repeat offenders and scofflaws, directly contributes to the incidence of crime in Gwinnett county. Many homeowners ARE out there trying to do the right thing and trying to keep their neighborhoods safe and attactive. They get no help from the Recorder’s Court for their trouble and civic concern.

In my neighborhood, we have a home that is a boarding house and business warehouse for a cleaning company and car refurbishing outfit. At any one point in time they may be 16 or 17 cars parked there on a daily basis, loud parties, trash all over the yard, 5-foot tall weeds in the yard, etc. For two years we have been trying to work with code enforcement to make this property owner comply with Gwinnett County laws for a single family residence to no avail. When code enforcement was finally able to get him into court, the judge gave him another 30 days to get his act together and no fine. One of the side effects of this home in our neighborhood is that there has been a stabbing at the home in the past year and at one point, a registered sex offender was living in the home.

We have a nice neighborhood and we have worked hard as a community to try to keep it that way because we want a safe, attractive place to live and raise children. Code enforcement is very active in our neighborhood and very responsive to our complaints. However, recorder’s court has ignored the escalating crisis in our neighborhoods and refuses to take any action to try to change things or support the efforts of citizens who are actively trying to save these older neighborhoods. It’s a real shame but there’s a solution. It’s called a voting booth and I for one would love for the chance to vote one of our judges out of office.

By Bruce Wilcox

January 23, 2007 10:20 AM | Link to this

As usual Paulie you have the wrong neighborhood, there is no graffiti or gang activity, as far as break-ins I was broken into back in 93’when Gwinnett was still perfect. Firing guns in the air, it is a Southern thing, not just the newcomers.

If you check the daily arrest record you would be hard pressed to find anyone from our neighborhood. By the way…are you some kind of stalker Paulie, I never told you or posted where I live?

By Paulie

January 23, 2007 10:54 AM | Link to this

More common these days (according to the Gang Unit) are Hispanics firing in the air (recently had to bail an employee out of jail – it is a cultural thing), particularly over your way. The gang “battle line” is considered to be the Singleton Road side of Indian Trail, which clearly matches the higher crime rate areas.

There was recently an accidental death from a random firing into the air – VERY dangerous. FYI, the neighbor of which I spoke has often documented pistol laden groups in broad daylight over near you.

Presuming that you are referring to www.scangwinnett.com or the official site from which the data comes, those include only the home addresses of offenders – these show the residence of arrestees and exclude juveniles (which are the majority of the problem) - not exactly the right tool for the job.

Chill out on the paranoia - I used a top secret device called www.whitepages.com – pretty ingenious, eh? Enough of this – I have some grown up things to tend to.

By Bruce Wilcox

January 23, 2007 11:03 AM | Link to this

Ah, you are a stalker after all. I’m sure there are many neighborhoods like mine that are insulted right now, take Park Forest for one. Since you know my address now, stop by, don’t be afraid to bring your friend that also seems to be a stalker and you can tell me how bad my neighborhood is.

By IC

January 23, 2007 12:23 PM | Link to this

they have it Frank, just can’t seem to get to it because they are too busy busting hookers.

By LindaL

January 23, 2007 12:49 PM | Link to this

Thanks for the great info on the arrests, Paulie. You are correct, none of the many juvenile offenders that we have seen carted off show up on that report. I live in that area off of Indian Trail too, and crazy near neighbors who will go nameless aside, you’re right on! Our HOA has been battling this for many years, but we’re making progress too – keep up the great work, as will we.

By Frank Knitter

January 23, 2007 01:00 PM | Link to this

“They” don’t seem to know via any previou ESP effort - might want to try again.

By Joe in Street

January 23, 2007 01:12 PM | Link to this

Me too - we’re off of Beaver Ruin, and things have definitely improved over the past several years, mainly thanks to the rolling up of citizen sleeves. If you’re not part of the solution, most likely you’re part of the problem.

By Bruce Wilcox

January 23, 2007 01:58 PM | Link to this

Seems the discussion has gone off track it was about prostitution. Now if you read the article the area where the arrests took place is hardly a neighborhood, it’s the cheap motel area that has nothing to do with a Recorders Court. Clean-up the motels you clean up the area.

As far as the neighborhoods in the area, there are still many good neighborhoods where people care and work to keep them that way. You can not tell that from the white pages.

By woodie

January 23, 2007 02:22 PM | Link to this

Prostitution is illegal. It is usually performed by indigents who can’t make a living any other way, such as under educated and drug addicted young people. It’s not funny. Even the Britney Spears joke is not funny. They should be aggressively prosecuted. It is a perversion of humanity to allow people to buy and sell their bodies.

By Chuckie

January 23, 2007 02:42 PM | Link to this

Amen! The Gwinnett Madam, however, wasn’t exactly working out of a sleazy dive. It (and the crimes spawned by it) can happen anywhere – anywhere by MY county, hopefully. Incidentally, misdemeanor solicitation cases are indeed heard in Recorder’s Court.

By Been There

January 24, 2007 07:20 AM | Link to this

The truth is they are all prostitutes. My wife had an affair with a GCPD, he was married too and knew what he was doing. He took the vow to serve and protect too far. When it was brought to light all Porter had to say was” we don’t get involved with personal matters” What she was doing was personal, get after the real criminals your county police dept.

By IC

January 24, 2007 07:30 AM | Link to this

Frank are you they?

Yes they do have it and have it “under investigation” which if history does repeat is just another way of saying they are waiting for it to just go away.

By Tony

January 24, 2007 07:56 AM | Link to this

Welcome to Wayne Hill’s Gwinnett; PROSTITUTION, ILLEGAL, GANGS, ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, SOURING CHRIME and a county being run into the ground. THANKS WAYNE, what a legacy!!!

By Tony

January 24, 2007 07:57 AM | Link to this

Welcome to Wayne Hill’s Gwinnett; PROSTITUTION, DRUGS, GANGS, ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, SOURING CHRIME and a county being run into the ground. THANKS WAYNE, what a legacy!!!

By jes8

January 24, 2007 10:49 PM | Link to this

Why do all of you who say the police are focusing on the wrong type of crime conveniently forget that the police department has different units? The homicide unit works on all the murderers you guys are shaking in your boots about. The white collar unit works on those types of crimes. And, might I add, prostitution is not a white collar crime. The vice unit, as it is tasked, works on those crimes such as gambling and prostitution. The “victimless” crimes, as they are called. But wheather these crimes are victimless or not, is a completely different discussion. As someone said above, the police are tasked with enforcing all laws. Wheather or not you or even the officer thinks the act should be illegal, the police officer is still RESPONSIBLE for enforcing that law. So quit blaming them, and thank them for doing their job.

By IC

January 25, 2007 07:04 AM | Link to this

Great question posed on the AJC vent.

“Why is it illegal to sell what is perfectly legal to give away?”

By Bruce Wilcox

January 25, 2007 09:08 AM | Link to this

Or why is it legal to pay our elected leaders for doing pretty much the same thing?

By Yo

January 25, 2007 11:30 AM | Link to this

Wow - so very many whiney miserable people in Gwinnett - why don’t y’all move and give the rest of us a break.

By Bruce Wilcox

January 25, 2007 12:01 PM | Link to this

Yo, if you’re paying I’ll go pack.

By Yo

January 25, 2007 01:06 PM | Link to this

Sell it and you’re free.

By Dan Fielding

January 26, 2007 08:56 PM | Link to this

“Is prostitution prevalent in Gwinnett?”

Not that I’ve been able to find….

By BTB Again

January 26, 2007 10:15 PM | Link to this

“Why is it illegal to sell what is perfectly legal to give away?”

Well actually, your only renting it.

Some Members of the County Commission are stealing from the citizens right under Danny Porters nose and he does nothing. Where’s the Justice? Coaching llittle league does not make you a saint, right Kevin ‘the Recuser’?

By Janet_G

January 29, 2007 05:31 PM | Link to this

Why is it illegal to sell what is legal to give away?

Because putting a price on the use of a human body is an invitation to the unscrupulous to exploit women, girls and even children for monetary gain.

Why is is legal to give someone a kidney but it’s not legal to sell someone a kidney? Why is it legal to give up a child for adoption but not legal to sell one? Because human life should not be reduced to dollars and cents and to allow people to peddle human body parts or human beings themselves as commodities is morally reprehensable (or should be) to a civilized nation.

By debbie

January 29, 2007 09:46 PM | Link to this

why couldn’t this women just go to nevada where it would be legal? what, are they afraid of the competition? what a mess now, girls. now you are wanted criminals.

By Justin

January 30, 2007 02:02 AM | Link to this

I wouldn’t say Gwinnett has an emerging growth industry in prostitution. In fact, I think it is on the decline in the county.

There are different types of prostitution that occur: streetwalking, massage parlors, and low to high priced escorts.

The streetwalkers draw the most attention because they are visible and usually in already undesirable locations. There are a few pockets of this type, mostly near 85, but continual arrests and proactive moves like the clearing of underbrush by the Knights Inn is keeping it all from growing, and actually probably reducing it. Large numbers of arrests don’t equal more crime, just more enforcement, which usually lowers crime rates.

The massage parlors in Gwinnett have almost all been shut down (there is one questionable place remaining), eliminating a huge percentage of overall prostitution activity. These places were one step up from streetwalkers in the public’s eye, if only because they didn’t actually see the women involved. The only thing that would draw people’s attention to them is the signs. Besides that I can’t recall any stories in the news featuring crimes related to these places. Their rates are higher than streetwalkers and draw in many businessmen. Their reliability and presence also probably led to more visits and repeat visits.

The escorts, from lower rate craigslist posters to exclusive mansion madams are certainly on the rise, but not nearly as much as Fulton, DeKalb, Clayton and Cobb. The internet has been making this type of service far more common but Gwinnett has never had the numbers that Fulton and Cobb do, nor do they have the recent growth rate in lower cost escorts of those same two counties and DeKalb and Cobb.

There is a big difference between someone like the mansion madam and a craigslist lady who is here today, gone tomorrow.

p.s. Paulie: I don’t think anyone mentioned that AIDS kills far more people than cancer because that fact is not true.