A senior citizen was arrested for allegedly spearheading a prostitution ring out of the Englewood, N.J. elderly living complex where he resided. Police said Tuesday (May 14) that James Parham, 75, did everything from putting some of the elderly residents on the payroll, to allowing them (and visitors) to smoke crack out of his unit.
Employing a hybrid of “young women and older residents,” Parham provided s-xual services for residents in the Vincente K. Tibbs Senior Citizen Building with the help of “mostly crack addicted women.” In addition to pimping, he and 66-year-old neighbor Cheryl Chaney, face paraphernalia and possession charges over the crack.
From NBC New York:
Both are charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and maintaining a nuisance, and Chaney is also charged with possession of crack cocaine.
In Parham’s case, the nuisance charge relates to allowing prostitution in his apartment and in Chaney’s case, it relates to allowing drug use in hers.
Englewood Police Chief Arthur O’Keefe told NBC 4 New York on Tuesday that Parham ran the prostitution ring through his apartments, and employed a mix of young women and older residents.
None of the alleged prostitutes were arrested.
O’Keefe says there was also s-x and drug use going on in common areas of the complex, and that some seniors were afraid to venture into certain areas because they were afraid for their lives.
Richard Allaway, a resident, says he and others were aware of “a lot of nonsense going on.”
A lack of security in the building is believed to have contributed to the problem.
Another woman, 54-year-old Selma McDuffie, was arrested during the bust, and charged with having a crack pipe.
Amid resident complaints of loitering and condoms in the common areas, Englewood cops set up an undercover sting to nab Parham.
Not surprisingly, Parham, his sidekicks, and others who participated in illegal activity, are being evicted from the 152-unit structure.
—
Photo: NBC New York
