Prostitution sting nets pair in Lynn after confrontation

LYNN An undercover police investigation resulted in the arrest of an alleged prostitute and her pimp, who also tried to run down a police officer with his car, according to documents filed in Lynn District Court.”As he was crossing the street in front of the vehicle (a detective) pulled out his police badge he wears around his neck and held it up for the driver of the vehicle to see,” a report by a Lynn police officer filed in Lynn District Court said. “The driver stared directly at (the detective) and stepped on the gas. (The detective) had to run and jumped out of the way of the accelerating motor vehicle, landing him in a puddle on the sidewalk.”Jose Douglas Argueta, 30, of 99 Hollingsworth St., posted $500 cash bail after being arraigned in Lynn District Court Thursday on charges of deriving support from prostitution and assault with a dangerous weapon.Rose Marie Kiess, 24, of 314 Lowell Ave., Providence, R.I., failed to appear in court Thursday to be arraigned on charges of sexual conduct for a fee, according to the Court Clerk’s office.The investigation into a prostitution ring catering to Hispanic males began in October, but Wednesday night was the first time that a “date” could be arranged, according to the police report.When officers first called a number to try and set up a date, they received a message that “the service would not be available until Oct. 24th,” the report said. “The second call was unanswered, but return[ed] by a male stating he was in New Hampshire and unavailable.”According to the police report, customers could call a phone number to set up a date, and then a woman would be delivered to an agreed-upon address. The customer pays $40 for sex, and the money was divided between the driver and the alleged prostitute, according to statements from Kiess contained in the police report.The two undercover officers arranged for a date and then one of them approached the car with the suspected prostitute and her driver inside.After one detective avoided being hit by the car, another officer blocked the fleeing car, according to the police report.An officer at the station called the number that had been used to arrange for the date, and Argueta’s cell phone – which he had stuffed into his pants’ rear pocket n began ringing, the report states. The officer called again and the phone began ringing again, the report states. At this point, officers placed the woman under arrest.”She asked me what she was being arrested for,” the report states. “I informed her for prostitution. She then became upset and stated she was only trying to make some quick money to help get her kid back.”In the car, officers reported finding business cards with the words “Express Livery” and advertising the phone number that officers called to set up the date. They also recovered an economy-sized box of condoms that had been purchased at Walmart, according to the report.Argueta told police he had been driving the female for three days and had only had three customers Wednesday when he was arrested.Keiss said she had sex with 28 males, but would not get paid until the end of the week, according to the report.”She stated she did it because a friend told her she could make some quick easy money,” the report states. “She went on to say that she had sex with all those males for nothing.”Police then visited the address Argueta had given as his address and found $1,070 in a room that he shared with his wife in his sister’s apartment.Argueta is next scheduled to appear in court on Dec. 13.Cyrus Moulton can be reached at [email protected].