West Palm Man Sought
'Very Young' Prostitute
In Costa Rica
By Vanessa Blum | South
Florida Sun-Sentinel
A West Palm Beach man
accused of trying to
arrange sex with a
teenage prostitute in
Costa Rica needed no
prodding to request an
escort who was "very
young," the government's
lead witness told jurors
Monday in Fort
Lauderdale federal
court.
Richard Love, a retired
Fort Lauderdale police
detective, spoke with
Jorge Muentes, 48, while
posing as the owner of
Latin American Pleasure
Tours, a fake travel
agency run by the FBI
that advertises in adult
magazines.
Muentes contacted the
agency in September and
paid a $1,675 deposit
for his airfare, hotel
and 24 hours with an
underage prostitute,
according to
prosecutors. He was
arrested at Miami
International Airport on
Nov. 15 as he attempted
to board a flight to San
Jose.
Defense attorney David
O. Markus said Muentes
changed his mind about
wanting a 14- to
16-year-old prostitute
but was never given a
chance to back out.
"People fantasize and
talk about things all
the time they wouldn't
follow through on,"
Markus said.
If convicted, Muentes
faces a minimum sentence
of 10 years. He buried
his face in his hands as
the prosecutor played
tapes of his phone calls
with Love.
In their first
conversation, Love
offered Muentes two
types of escorts - a
sightseeing companion or
a sexual companion.
After Muentes indicated
his interest in a
prostitute, Love asked
him to choose from an
range of 14 to 27 years
old.
"Let's go young,"
Muentes said. "Let's go
very young."
Love suggested a 14- to
16-year-old and Muentes
agreed. When Muentes
asked if having sex with
a 14-year-old was legal,
Love said it was all
illegal. According to
testimony at trial,
Costa Rican law permits
adult prostitution but
transactions cannot
involve a third party,
such as an agency or
pimp.
Love is employed by the
FBI as a consultant. He
told the jury of seven
men and five women he
gives suspects "exit
opportunities" or
"chances to back away"
if they do not seem
interested in having sex
with a minor. The FBI
does not pursue men who
request prostitutes over
the age of 18, he said. |
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