People v. Middleton CA4/2

I.

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

In a felony complaint, the People charged defendant with one count of pimping

(Pen. Code, § 266h, subd. (a), count 1; all additional undesignated statutory references

are to the Penal Code) and one count of pandering (§ 266i, subd. (a)(1), count 2).

Defendant waived his right to a preliminary examination, and the People filed an

information alleging the same two counts of pimping and pandering.

A. Prosecution Evidence.

Defendant checked into the Fairfield Inn in Ontario for a three-night stay.

Defendant booked a room with two queen beds. At check-in, defendant started to pay for

the room with a credit card, then paid in cash. Defendant added a guest named “Allison

Fontain” to the room.

Two days later, officers with the Ontario Police Department’s vice and narcotics

team received a report from the Fairfield Inn about suspected prostitution in room 111. A

hotel clerk reported several men coming and going from the room. The officers searched

for prostitution advertisements using the names of the guests registered to the room, and

found advertisements for a female using the name “Ari” on myredbook.com and

2 backpage.com, paid…