Detroit – from www.freep.com – Gregory Carr, the man accused of being the ringleader of the Miami Companions escort service, has cut a deal with the government, his lawyer confirmed for the Free Press late today.
Carr’s lawyer, Paul DeCailly, would not offer any details about the plea agreement, beyond confirming that a plea deal is in the works.
Carr, a Dearborn Heights native and co-owner of the service, was indicted last July on prostitution and money laundering charges for running what the government says was once one of the largest prostitution rings in the U.S., with metro Detroit among its busiest ports.
Gregory Carr’s ex wife, Laurie Carr, also was indicted, but she pleaded guilty to her role in the business in October and has been cooperating with the government. She was expected to be a lead witness against Carr, who was scheduled to go to trial March 22.
According to court records, from the early 2000s through 2009, Miami Companions sent prostitutes to hotels in Southfield, Romulus, Novi and Canton. The Carrs raked in more than $4 million, records show.
News of Carr’s plea deal comes one day after a former porn star and call girl, Nayubet Swaso, known as Sierra Sanchez in the escort industry, pleaded guilty to her role in the Miami Companions case.
Swaso admitted in federal court on Monday that she persuaded or enticed a prostitute named Stephanie to travel to Detroit in 2008 for an appointment with a john. According to court records, Swaso was the manager of Miami Companions’ overseas call centers in Panama and Costa Rica, where she verified the johns and set up their appointments with the prostitutes. She eventually became an escort herself after seeing how lucrative the business was – some making as much as $500 an hour, records show. She also spent a brief time in California shooting porn films.