Posted on 12/13/2009 6:38:22 PM PST by Libloather
Patriots mascot among 14 arrested in RI sex sting
December 12, 2009 2:00 AM
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — A man who acts as a mascot for the New England Patriots is among 14 people who have been arrested for prostitution-related crimes in Rhode Island since a new law went into effect that banned indoor prostitution.
The bill signed into law in November made prostitution a misdemeanor crime regardless of where it occurs. Previously, indoor prostitution was allowed because of a legal loophole.
State Police say Robert Sormanti of Warwick was among those arrested in an undercover sting at a hotel. The Providence Journal reports Sormanti is among the team's mascots.
The Patriots said in a statement that multiple people wear the mascot costume and that the "individual in question" has been suspended.
A phone message left at Sormanti's home Friday evening was not immediately returned.
Wow, that is a kinky group.
Was Tiger there?
He saw the films in advance and thought he could play the pattern, so to speak.
Their mascott is a furry? LOL!
Rhode Island State Police posted an ad to the adult section of craigslist.org Thursday that hinted at a sex tryst for cash. The ad featured no picture and was written in very generic terms, police said. Nevertheless, within minutes nine johns bit, calling the number and arranging to meet at a hotel on the Johnston-Scituate border.
No. 2 was allegedly Warwick native Robert Sormanti, the 47-year-old mascot for the New England Patriots [team stats], police said.
Rhode Island State Police Lt. James Demers said Sormanti called the female trooper who posed as a hooker and arranged to meet her in the hotel parking lot at noon.
The lady wore a wire, cops said.
“They met in the parking lot and talked business,” Demers said. “They agreed on a price for a certain service. They never made it to the room.”
Demers said Sormanti was busted in the hotel hallway and did not resist being taken into custody. He said troopers took Sormanti to state police headquarters, where he was arraigned on a single count of procurement of sex for a fee and released on personal recognizance. Patriots spokesman Stacey James said Sormanti has been suspended.
Rhode Island recently passed legislation that closed a loophole that allowed indoor prostitution. Demers said Rhode Island State Police Col. Brendan Doherty fought to make that happen. He said Doherty wanted troopers to enforce the law as soon as possible, which they did with this sting as well as another one recently.
“The colonel, the governor, along with the legislature put a lot of effort into getting this law passed,” he said. “In the past we weren’t able to do anything with this type of crime.”
wait.
what?
“Indoor” prostitution wasn’t already illegal?
eh?
Is he a 1 gap or 2 a gap?
Somebody call Quagmire!
You know it's coming...
Oh come on, this is just one more job that Obama can claim to have saved or created....
You're telling me he couldn't get babes on those looks?
Wow, I guess I missed the news story about how all serious violent crime had been eradicated in RI and that this was the only penny-ante crap left to go after.
Not me man! But thanks for thinking of me :)
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