TX - Bruce Wallis, 51, pilot, running brothels in Houston, 25 March 2016

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Months of surveillance and seized records - including graphic texts between Wallis and the women - reveal the double life of a respected airline pilot who was praised by the Federal Aviation Administration even as he built a criminal empire filled with money, guns and women, according to court documents obtained by the Houston Chronicle.

Also charged is a woman believed to have been his top lieutenant. Tracie Tanner, 37, of Rosenberg, is facing charges of aggravated promotion of prostitution. Eighteen other women were also charged with prostitution, but apparently no customers were arrested Wednesday in the law enforcement sweep.
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Lots, lots more at link: http://www.houstonchronicle.com/new...f-brothels-Kingwood-pilot-ID-d-as-7045060.php
 
Other than tax evasion, was not seeing the big deal initially.

Unable to read the Houston Chronicle article without a subscription, so not sure about the circumstances about 'aggravated promotion of prostitution' for the pilot and his right-hand person. Were any of the women physically harmed? Were they making their own choice?

It's safer than walking the streets imo.

The payment btw was $400 per week - not per day. Wondering if that included rent to live at the brothels.
 
Woodland said:
Other than tax evasion, was not seeing the big deal initially.

Unable to read the Houston Chronicle article without a subscription, so not sure about the circumstances about 'aggravated promotion of prostitution' for the pilot and his right-hand person. Were any of the women physically harmed? Were they making their own choice?

It's safer than walking the streets imo.

The payment btw was $400 per week - not per day. Wondering if that included rent to live at the brothels.
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Some people think tax evasion is a big deal. Prostitution is illegal and this guy had a respected job as an airline pilot. Apparently he is also accused of using his flight school as a front to make sure there were legitimate employment records for the women.

"Wallis is also accused of using Eastex Aero, his flight school and charter service in Porter, north of Houston, as a front to make sure the women who worked for him had a "legitimate" employment records and financial statements, according to court records."
http://www.chron.com/news/houston-t...ng-brothels-7012096.php?cmpid=twitter-desktop
 
Woodland said:
Other than tax evasion, was not seeing the big deal initially.

Unable to read the Houston Chronicle article without a subscription, so not sure about the circumstances about 'aggravated promotion of prostitution' for the pilot and his right-hand person. Were any of the women physically harmed? Were they making their own choice?

It's safer than walking the streets imo.

The payment btw was $400 per week - not per day. Wondering if that included rent to live at the brothels.
Click to expand...

The payment may have been $400 per week, but as a pimp, I don't assume he let the workers keep everything they earned.
 
jjenny said:
Some people think tax evasion is a big deal. Prostitution is illegal and this guy had a respected job as an airline pilot. Apparently he is also accused of using his flight school as a front to make sure there were legitimate employment records for the women.

"Wallis is also accused of using Eastex Aero, his flight school and charter service in Porter, north of Houston, as a front to make sure the women who worked for him had a "legitimate" employment records and financial statements, according to court records."
http://www.chron.com/news/houston-t...ng-brothels-7012096.php?cmpid=twitter-desktop
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Just to clarify - I agree the tax evasion was a big deal, hence the use of 'other than'.

Re-wording - don't see the big deal if these adults chose to participate in this activity - but they should pay the tax on the income. If it was legal - they would. Or some of it anyway.

Otherwise, keep your day job.
 
wendybtn said:
The payment may have been $400 per week, but as a pimp, I don't assume he let the workers keep everything they earned.
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Unable to assume he was pimping the women. From what I can read (full articles limited outside of US on this one) they did their 'thing' and he gave them a safe haven to do that 'thing' - for a flat rate of $400 per week.

So who should pay the tax on the $400 per week income - the pilot or the gals? Or both?
 
Woodland said:
Unable to assume he was pimping the women. From what I can read (full articles limited outside of US on this one) they did their 'thing' and he gave them a safe haven to do that 'thing' - for a flat rate of $400 per week.

So who should pay the tax on the $400 per week income - the pilot or the gals? Or both?
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I don't know why you are trying to minimize it.
$400 per week is per one woman. Since he had multiple women working for him obviously he was making a lot more than $400 per week. Some reports say he had 20 women working for him. If that is accurate, he was making $400x20=$8,000 per week. That would be his income, not the prostitutes'. So he is the one who would need to pay taxes on this income. However much prostitutes had left after they paid him-that's their income and they would be responsible for paying taxes on that income.
 
Not trying to minimize this - just looking at it for exactly what it is.

I get what his income was from this - a sales transaction imo. An agent (pro) sells a product/service at retail/market value and pays out fees for items/services (pilot) used along the way. Usually a win-win or people wouldn't bother - speaking of only those choosing to do this.

I guess the pro could/should claim the total value and deduct expenses. Those receiving payment for expenses should then claim that income.
 
From the links posted I will not be surprised to find out this man's setup is sex trafficking and not simply pimping out willing participants.
He was an international pilot.
Many of the women are Russian.
He is being held on 'aggravated' promotion of prostitution.
It is being investigated by the sex trafficking division. Do they investigate all prostitution crimes, or ones believed to be trafficked?
 
Most prostitutes are originially child abuse or sex abuse victims.

It is hardly ever a choice. It is slavery. Read up on what happens to prostitutes. Violated with bottles, for one.

That is why so many have to take drugs in order to do it.

It is not Pretty Woman.
 
A couple of explanations for the charge of 'aggravated promotion of prostitution'.

(a) A person commits an offense if he knowingly owns, invests in, finances, controls, supervises, or manages a prostitution enterprise that uses two or more prostitutes. - See more at: http://codes.lp.findlaw.com/txstatutes/PE/9/43/A/43.04#sthash.cd6JQ7dA.dpuf

http://codes.lp.findlaw.com/txstatutes/PE/9/43/A/43.04

Another -

knowingly acts;
supervises, manages, invests in, owns, finances or controls a prostitution enterprise;
when the enterprise uses two or more prostitutes

http://www.matthoraklaw.com/CriminalDefense/SexualOffenses/Prostitution.aspx

The explanation seems to be, if you knowingly promote prostitution, knowing you shouldn't, you are aggravating the DA. Or something like that.

Lots of info being introduced that is not reported for this case - might be, might have, others this, others that ...
 
I agree there are no charges at this time that indicate sex trafficking. That is why I stated I would not be surprised if it turns out that way. There is always more information that comes out later as the cases proceed. It's a wait in see, but I believe there is more to this story.
 
jjenny said:
Some people think tax evasion is a big deal. Prostitution is illegal and this guy had a respected job as an airline pilot. Apparently he is also accused of using his flight school as a front to make sure there were legitimate employment records for the women.

"Wallis is also accused of using Eastex Aero, his flight school and charter service in Porter, north of Houston, as a front to make sure the women who worked for him had a "legitimate" employment records and financial statements, according to court records."
http://www.chron.com/news/houston-t...ng-brothels-7012096.php?cmpid=twitter-desktop
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Prostitution is legal in some places in Texas, I'm not saying it's right.
 
Both face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison if convicted.

In a brief statement outside of the Harris County courthouse, Dan Cogdell, a lawyer for Wallis, scoffed at the allegations.
"This the latest prosecution of the worlds' oldest profession, but it's hardly the crime of the century," he said.

Lawyers for Tanner raised the spectre that she had been forced to work with Wallis, but stopped short of calling her a victim in the case.

"She's in a very scary place right now," said defense attorney Mark Metzgar. "We're still investigating."

Wallis, who arrived in court with a handful of lawyers, did not speak as he strode in and out of the courthouse in front of a dozen TV cameras and reporters. United Airlines said Wallis is no longer flying while the charges are pending.
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http://www.chron.com/houston/articl...unning-prostitution-7212705.php#photo-9698789
 
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