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A 55-year-old Seekonk man was sentenced to serve three years in state prison yesterday after pleading guilty to charges connected to the operation of a prostitution ring out of his home and distributing cocaine, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced.
Anthony Vitali pleaded guilty in Fall River Superior Court to indictments charging him with possession with intent to distribute cocaine-subsequent offense, maintaining a house of prostitution, deriving support from prostitution, conspiracy, procuring a person for prostitution and detaining/drugging a person for prostitution.
The defendant was arrested in October of 2016 after an extensive investigation was conducted by Seekonk Police. During the execution of a search warrant at the home, police found indicia of prostitution and cocaine distribution. Some of the women being used by the defendant told police the defendant would give them cocaine and keep them addicted to it. He would then recruit them into prostitution as a means to pay off their drug debts to him, and in some cases, the defendant even kept the women’s drivers licenses and credit cards to make sure they worked off their debts to him.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Thompson and the three-year state prison sentence was imposed by Judge Sharon Donatelle.
“The defendant took advantage of the victims’ drug addiction to sell them for sex. By engaging in this conduct, the defendant dehumanized the victims and needs to be held accountable,” District Attorney Quinn said.
