Jamaica hotel a hot bed of prostitution

Six individuals - including three hotel staffers and an alleged pimp - were arrested this past weekend on prostitution-related offenses following a search of a Queens hotel near JFK International Airport that allegedly served as a haven for prostitutes and their pimps.
After the raid on Friday, March 7, the Howard Johnson Express Inn, a three-story, 71-room hotel located at 153-95 Rockaway Boulevard in Jamaica, was not shuttered. Although the NYPD had obtained a nuisance abatement order permitting the padlocking of the hotel, authorities chose not to close it down, due to the number of legitimate guests registered. The hotel, however, was ordered not to accept any new guests pending a court appearance on Wednesday, March 12.
Among the six individuals arrested were three hotel clerks: Shariq (a.k.a. Sean) Iftekhar, 22, of 107-31 123rd Street; Naseeb (a.k.a. Roman) U. Roomi, of 136-37 59th Avenue; and Duaraknath (a.k.a. Sammy) Nandori, 53, of 144-07 Sanford Avenue.
It is alleged that during the last several months, undercover police officers posing as prostitutes and customers visited the Howard Johnson Express Inn and witnessed various acts of illegal activity on the premises.
In one alleged instance, a female undercover officer posing as a prostitute named Fantasia rented a room and told the front desk clerk that she was “expecting two customers” and that he should call her when they arrived. When the “customers” — who were actually undercover police officers - later arrived, 45 minutes apart, and asked for Fantasia, the clerk allegedly directed them to her room.
In another instance, a male undercover officer posing as Fantasia’s pimp allegedly approached the hotel’s front desk and told the two clerks there that, “if anybody shows up for Fantasia, make sure they see me first.” Later, when another undercover officer posing as a customer approached the desk and asked for Fantasia, one of the clerks is alleged to have directed the individual to the “pimp” undercover and watched as they “conferred” on the subject of sex acts and prices. After exiting Fantasia’s room an hour later, the two undercovers made a show of exchanging money in front of the clerk.
During one conversation Nandori allegedly told the female undercover, “We [Nandori and Roomi] are here from three o’clock and we will take care of you so that we can all make money. As long as you keep the room clean and are out before seven a.m.”
The three defendants were arraigned before Queens Criminal Court Judge Pauline Mullings on Saturday, March 8 on charges of third-degree attempted promoting prostitution, first- and second-degree falsifying business records, second-degree commercial bribe receiving and permitting prostitution. The defendants, who face up to four years in prison if convicted, were each ordered held on $25,000 bail and scheduled to return to court on March 28.
Also arrested was Lamont Babb, 30, of 141-59 85th Road, accused of reserving a room at the hotel for an undercover police officer posing as a prostitute on March 7. Babb allegedly agreed to reserve the room if she (the undercover) would call him if she was “looking for work.”
Babb, it is alleged, later went to the room and told the undercover policewoman and another undercover officer that he “wanted both girls to work for him,” “that he would charge guys $85 for oral sex and $200 for any sexual act with them,” “that he would be their pimp,” and “that they could only work for him and that he has other bitches on the stroll,” among other things. Outside, police allegedly observed Babb’s five-year-old daughter sitting inside a blue Ford Taurus with two women wearing tight revealing clothing and who have pending prostitution cases.
Babb was also arraigned on March 8th on charges of third-degree attempted promoting prostitution and endangering the welfare of a child. He faces up to four years in prison if convicted, was ordered held on $10,000 bail and scheduled to return to court on March 28.
The two remaining defendants - Alan Muse, 50, of 155-15 North Conduit Avenue, and Tauseef Ahmad, 27, of 15 Franklin Street in Elmont, Long Island - were charged, respectively with third-degree patronizing a prostitute and fourth-degree criminal sale of marihuana. At their arraignment each defendant pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and was sentenced to pay a $250 fine.