Affidavit: Psychologist, Kittery man involved with sex ring, pregnant prostitute

PORTSMOUTH, N.H. — Cocaine, a stolen gun, a pregnant prostitute and sex for cash are all outlined, among others, in an affidavit submitted Aug. 3 by Portsmouth Police detective Rochelle Jones.

The affidavit, made public earlier this week, was the result of a 10-month investigation looking into an alleged prostitution ring in Portsmouth, at an owned by Alexander Marino, 38, a licensed clinical psychologist.

Since their initial investigation, police have arrested three individuals — a prostitute, a customer from Kittery, Maine, and Marino, the facilitator — and charged them each with a misdemeanor count alleging prostitution.

The affidavit begins by stating on Oct. 17, 2011, a cab driver told police she befriended a customer, whom she identified as Marino, a clinical psychologist with an officer in Exeter who occasionally practiced out of his apartment.

She also told police while visiting Marino at his apartment, located at 565 No. 4 Sagamore Ave., she witnessed Marino use cocaine and let prostitutes hang out at his apartment.

This same cab driver also left her backpack, which contained a 9 mm pistol, at Marino’s apartment. When the cabbie asked for her backpack and gun back, Marino “told her that one of his prostitute friends had stolen the weapon,” according to the affidavit.

Approximately nine months later, on July 2, a woman arrived at the Salvation Army and said she was involved in prostitution. The woman, who admitted to police she had previously worked as a prostitute in Manchester, stated she had met an acquaintance in Nashua — just a few days before July 2 — who told her she could work giving massages while wearing lingerie.

This acquaintance later took the woman to an apartment in Portsmouth that she confirmed to be 565 No. 4 Sagamore Ave. This woman also told police Marino set up ads online for erotic massages and “stayed in the bedroom while massage and sexual acts were being performed in the living room.”

Later the same month, on July 26, police received a call from the Sagamore Court management personnel who stated they had seen a young “scantily clad” woman leaving Marino’s apartment with an older man. Management also reported residents were complaining about scantily clad women and men coming in and out of building 565 at various times during the day and they believed prostitution was taking place within the building.

After acquiring a copy of the lease for apartment 565 No. 4, which indicated Marino to be the sole lessee, police were given access to another apartment in the building for the purpose of conducting surveillance. Police later set up a surveillance camera inside the building that viewed the entrance way.

On Aug. 1, police spoke to another cab driver who said he had driven Marino a total of 15 times. This cab driver told police that during rides Marino often talked about being involved in running prostitution and even offered “to get a girl” for him if he wanted.

The cabbie also stated he had picked up different women several times and then dropped them off at different locations. Although these women said they were going to visit friends, they would call Marino upon arrival, according to the cab driver.

Jones states on Aug. 2 at around 7 p.m. she and a detective were conducting surveillance when they smelled marijuana coming from the first floor of the apartment building.

After knocking on the door of apartment No. 4, Officer Robert Lukacz reporting hearing some rustling inside the apartment. After knocking again, an unidentified female answered the door and told Lukacz she would be right with him. Lukacz continued to hear movement in the apartment, with sounds growing louder.

At around this time Jones states in the affidavit she saw a male exit the ground floor rear window of the apartment. The male, who was quickly detained by police, originally kept his hands in his pockets. After finally revealing his hands, “an unwrapped condom” which he had been trying to shove in his back pocket was exposed. This male was identified as Jim Parra.

At around this time Marino was observed approaching the courtyard side entrance of building 565. According to the affidavit, Marino paused, walked around to the other door of the building, and then returned to the courtyard area. He was then seen accepting a call on his cell phone and then proceeded to leave the area after the call.

Parra agreed to be interviewed by detectives the following day. He admitted to going to the apartment for the purposes of paid sexual activity. He also said he obtained the number for the female in the apartment from an advertisement for an erotic massage on Backpage.com

The female, identified as Brooke Parent, was also interviewed by police. Parent stated she was recruited by a woman named “Maya” about a month before for the purpose of providing erotic massages and sexual favors in exchange for money. Maya later introduced Parent to Marino.

Although Parent states Maya and Marino required the other girls who provided sexual favors to provide “full service” if they wanted to work, Parent told police a special arrangement was made for her because she was pregnant and could not provide full services.

Marino was the only one who had keys or access to the building, according to Parent. Parent also gave one half of her proceeds to Maya, in addition to $20 to Marino following each client as a fee for the use of his apartment.

On Aug. 3 at around 1 a.m., police detectives executed a search at Marino’s apartment and seized two marijuana bongs, a marijuana pipe, five baggies of marijuana, $600 cash, baby oil, 21 condoms, two ledgers, a camera, and two cellular phones.

As a result of their investigation, police arrested all three suspects — Parent, Parra, and Marino.

Parent, 21, of Manchester, was arrested on Aug. 2 and charged with one count of prostitution. Parent was later released on personal recognizance bail.

Arrested two days later on Saturday after turning himself to police was Parra, 22, of Kittery, Maine. Parra is also being charged with one count of prostitution and was also released on personal recognizance bail.

Marino, 38, was arrested Tuesday after turning himself in to police following a search lasting several days. Marino is being charged with one count of prostitution along with one count for possession of a controlled drug — marijuana. He was freed after posting $1,000 cash bail Tuesday afternoon.

On Wednesday, Capt. Corey MacDonald said it appears Marino left the state while an active warrant existed for his arrest. He couldn’t elaborate further in relation to Marino’s possible whereabouts.

All three are scheduled to be arraigned in Portsmouth Circuit Court on Oct. 1.

MacDonald said the investigation remains ongoing and may expand to the Manchester and Portland, Maine, areas.

©2012 the Foster’s Daily Democrat (Dover, N.H.)

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