Part I of the media circus surrounding the alleged Kennebunk prostitution business is nearly over, but Part II ”“ if it goes to trial ”“ promises to garner even more attention than the first.
A jury at York County Superior Court in Alfred found Mark Strong Sr. guilty of 13 charges Wednesday, including 12 counts of promotion of prostitution and one count of conspiracy to promote prostitution, all misdemeanors.
After much legal wrangling, followed by more than a week of testimony ”“ including detailed ledgers of sexual acts, photos and even some videos ”“ jurors ruled that Strong was actively involved in the venture, in which Alexis Wright of Wells, owner of the Pura Vida fitness studio in Kennebunk, is purported to have run a prostitution business.
Wright faces stiffer charges due to monetary issues. She is set to go to trial in May to face 106 counts, including multiple counts of violation of privacy, engaging in prostitution, evasion of income tax and a count of theft by deception.
Although the charges of engaging in prostitution and violation of privacy are misdemeanors, evasion of income tax is a Class C crime and theft by deception of greater than $10,000 is a Class B crime. A Class B crime carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine, while a Class C crime is punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
It is not clear whether Wright will go to trial, following Strong’s conviction, but whatever plea or trial results is sure to be headline news.
This case has captivated the region, state, nation and world since it broke mid-summer, and people waited eagerly for first and subsequent “lists” of alleged johns when charges for engaging a prostitute against those men were to break.
National media outlets picked up the story ”“ noting that former President George H. W. Bush’s summer home is located in nearby Kennebunkport. The Daily Mail in the U.K. even followed the scandal.
Locally, it’s been a hot topic, despite the minor charges, and it’s likely to remain that way until its conclusion.
It’s a strange phenomenon in this country ”“ and others ”“ that sex sells, and such scandals seem to captivate us all.
Legally speaking, misdemeanors typically go unnoticed by much of public, usually only making it as far as the public safety listings on the inside pages of a newspaper, where one may recognize the name of a neighbor or acquaintance. But when it comes to prostitution, the coverage and priority increases exponentially.
Although we newspaper types say we print what the people want and need to know, we all have a tendency to follow the sensational and can’t help but read those stories. Added here is the fact that Kennebunk is an affluent and quaint seaside community. The claims from Strong’s lawyer, Dan Lilley, that the alleged johns list included prominent names in the area ”“ including lawyers, accountants and a local TV personality ”“ didn’t help tamp down the interest either.
What’s clear here is that this story has captivated us all and will continue to do so. Until sex ”“ or selling sex ”“ becomes less taboo, stories centering on it will likely lead the news, whether we like it or not.
Ӣ Ӣ Ӣ
Today’s editorial was written by City Editor Robyn Burnham on behalf of the Journal Tribune Editorial Board. Questions? Comments? Contact Managing Editor Kristen Schulze Muszynski by calling 282-1535, Ext. 322, or via email at kristenm@journaltribune.com.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
