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Police arrested five people during evening raids on alleged brothels in Westhampton and Southampton on Saturday, finding “anti-police” shrines in the living rooms of each, where patrons would pray to
Santa Muerte
—“Saint Death,” a Mexican spiritual figure—to ward off law enforcement, police said.
First, Luis Fernando Torres Altimaro, 25, of Westhampton, who police said worked as a promoter for the brothels, and Carol Maria Lopez, 51, of Queens were arrested by Southampton Town Police at a three-bedroom home at 6 Glendale Street in Westhampton at 9:43 p.m. Mr. Altimaro was charged with promoting prostitution in the fourth degree and Ms. Lopez was charged with prostitution.
Then, Daniela Zuniga, 18, of New Brunswick, New Jersey, and Delcin Omar Contreras, 30, and Juan Trujillo, 22, both of Southampton, were arrested by police at a two-room cottage at 218 North Magee Street in Southampton Town at 11 p.m. Ms. Zuniga was charged with prostitution in the third degree; Mr. Contreras, who police said fled the scene, was charged with obstructing governmental administration in the second degree; and Mr. Trujillo was charged with patronizing a prostitute in the third degree and possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree. All the charges are misdemeanors.
All five people were arraigned in Southampton Town Justice Court on Sunday and released on cash bail, ranging from $200 to $500 for each defendant. According to police, the men and women were all in the country illegally and were reported to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Police said that both homes were frequented by up to 40 men each night in the past month and that the women earned $15 per customer while promoters received up to $40 per customer. Police were tipped off about the homes by neighbors who complained about vehicle traffic, Southampton Street Crime Unit Sergeant James Kiernan said.
The home at 6 Glendale is owned by Andres Montes, according to Southampton Town’s Geographic Information System records. No listing could be found for the North Magee Street address.
The Saturday raids follow the May 16 arrests of four people by Southampton Town Police in connection to a brothel on Longview Road in Southampton Town. Sgt. Kiernan said the three houses are believed to be operated by the same ring of offenders.
“There have been similarities,” Sgt. Kiernan said, noting that at all three homes there were anti-police shrines with lighted candles, and similar fees for clientele. “They had saints that they prayed to that protect them from the police,” the sergeant said. “It hasn’t worked in these three cases anyway.”
At least one neighbor complained of disturbances at the Southampton cabin. Andrew Fitzpatrick said over recent months he noticed loud rap music and numerous cars parked on the road in front of the cabin “at all hours of the night.”
“I knew something was going on,” Mr. Fitzpatrick said. “For a quiet street, there was definitely too much traffic.”
Anyone with information about the alleged crimes is asked to contact Southampton Town Police at 702-2245.
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