By Ivan Pereira
Thomas Spann, 30, Tamisha Allen, 25, and Percressa Gaines, 19, all of 316 Beach 68th St., were arraigned Monday on charges of forcing two women, ages 20 and 25, to perform sexual acts for money. In a statement, Brown said he was disgusted by the case because the three allegedly posted pictures of the women on Craigslist, a classifieds Web site, to attract potential customers.”The information superhighway that is the Internet has a sidewalk that the defendants are accused of using to troll for customers,” he said.The two women accompanied Spann to his Far Rockaway home on March 12, where he allegedly had sex with the 25-year-old despite her protests, Brown said. The victims told police that later in the day they saw Spann hit Gaines and another woman, according to the DA.When the older victim asked Spann if she and her friend could leave, he allegedly threatened to shoot them with his pistol, which he waved around fully loaded, the DA said.”Take a risk if you want to get some shots popped around your ass,” Spann allegedly told the women.The three defendants allegedly took pictures of the two women and posted them on Craigslist for men who were looking for sex, according to the DA. Brown said various men came to the house and had sex with both women in exchange for money that eventually went to Spann.On Friday, Spann brought the women to the Ramada Plaza Hotel at John F. Kennedy International Airport and arranged for a “two for one special” that resulted in the older victim and Gaines engaging in sex with a customer for $160, according to the DA. The 25-year-old managed to flee the hotel and called Port Authority Police, who arrested Spann and the alleged prostitutes.”As soon as we were alerted by one of the victims, we reacted swiftly,” said Port Authority Police Department Superintendent Samuel J. Plumeri Jr. in a statement. “Working in close cooperation with District Attorney Brown… we were able to bring down this prostitution operation.”During searches of Spann's Rockaway residence, police found a loaded 9 mm pistol with 12 rounds of ammunition in the magazine and nearly 140 rounds of ammunition in three boxes, the DA said.Spann was indicted on numerous charges, including criminal possession of a weapon and sexual misconduct, according to the DA. Along with Gaines and Allen, he was also charged with unlawful imprisonment and promoting prostitution, the DA said.Spann was held on $250,000 bail, Allen was held on $10,000 bail and Gaines was released on her own recognizance, Brown said. Their next court date is April 2.If convicted, they each face up to 15 years in prison, according to Brown.The indictments come nearly two weeks after the NYPD arrested a man and two hotel clerks who allegedly ran a brothel out of a Howard Johnson Inn near JFK Airport.Reach reporter Ivan Pereira by e-mail at ipereira@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 146.
