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3 More Arrested In Desert Divas Case

POSTED: 1:13 pm MST September 3, 2008
UPDATED: 1:56 pm MST September 3, 2008

Police arrested what they call the final key player in connection with Arizona's largest prostitution bust, authorities said.

Sheila Bucalo, 41, was arrested along with Veronica Rodriguez, 20, and Linda Morris, 26, over the Labor Day weekend, police said.

Investigators said Bucalo turned herself in before a judge during the last week of August. They said they expect her to be charged in running the organization.

According to police records, customers of Night Partners Entertainment, also known as Desert Divas and other names, generally paid an "all-inclusive" $375 flat rate. Of that, $120 went to the business, and the girls received the rest, police said.

Paul Nichta, one of the ringleaders, told an undercover officer that most of the regular customers liked women 30 or older -- the younger girls got numerous dates, but the older women were booked for more hours, police said.

Lt. Bill Schemers, of the Phoenix police vice squad, said Web sites operated by the ring appeared to offer legitimate escort services at the outset. However, customers who paid a $30 monthly fee could access a companion Web site that showed women engaging in sex acts.

"Those women were also advertised as dates," Schemers said.

The women working for the alleged ring said they were paid well.

Two former escorts told police they earned about $2,000 a night, coupled with up to $15,000 nightly in tips.

Phoenix police, working on a tip they said they received from Scottsdale police, started the investigation about a year ago in cooperation with the county attorney's office. The investigation included financial records, computer records and interviews with former escorts.

Police said the investigation has connections to Albuquerque, N.M., and Philadelphia. Philadelphia Police Department vice detectives arrested one suspect in the case; the Albuquerque Police Department Vice Unit conducted a search on the Desert Divas New Mexico office and arrested several suspects.

On Aug. 5, Valley police and deputies served nine search warrants; arrested nine of the top members of the organization; and seized three residences, eight vehicles -- including a Ferrari 43C CP -- and one motorcycle, authorities said.

Officers also confiscated six rifles, 12 handguns and two silencers at Nichta's Paradise Valley residence, police said.

Since then, 38 people have been arrested in connection with the organization.

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