Feds: Lawrence Taylor admitted paying for sex

[May 08, 2010]  NEW YORK (AP) -- Disgraced gridiron great Lawrence Taylor admitted paying for sex at a suburban Holiday Inn where police say he raped a 16-year-old runaway, federal prosecutors said Friday in a criminal complaint against the girl's alleged pimp.

The papers filed in federal court in Manhattan refer to Taylor only as "Client-1."

In the paperwork, authorities claim the Pro Football Hall of Famer told police following his arrest on Thursday that he had taken a car service from Newark International Airport to the hotel north of New York City to meet "Victim-1."

Taylor told investigators that after "engaging in sex acts" with the victim, he paid her $300 in cash, the complaint says. The man charged in the complaint, Rasheed Davis, had told the Giants legend that the girl was 19, the court papers say.

Taylor, 51, was charged Thursday in Suffern, N.Y. with third-degree rape and patronizing a prostitute. His lawyer, Arthur Aidala, has denied the charges.

A federal magistrate ordered Davis held without bail after prosecutors said they suspect the defendant forced other young women into prostitution.

Davis, if free, would be an "extreme danger to the community" since authorities "haven't yet identified all the victims who are out there," said prosecutor Amanda Kramer.

The girl, who was reported missing by her family in March, met Davis at a Bronx bus stop two to three weeks ago. The federal complaint says she told investigators that the 36-year-old parolee offered her a place to live and a way to make money.

In her account, prosecutors said, the girl said Davis gave her Ecstasy and marijuana before making her do "exotic dancing" and "engage in multiple commercial sex acts" for prices ranging from $80 to $150. He advertised her services by sending cell phone photos of her and posting ads on websites, the complaint says.

On Wednesday, Davis sent the girl a text message in which he said he wanted her to have sex with "Client-1" for $300, the complaint says. When she refused, Davis began threatening with text messages, prosecutors said.

The texts were "along the lines of 'I'm going to 'F' you up,'" Kramer said.

The complaint said Davis later beat up the victim, drove her to the hotel against her will and waited outside for an hour while she had sex with Taylor.

Authorities found notebooks in the home where Davis kept "customers information," Kramer said.

Defense attorney Sabrina Shroff had argued her client should get bail, saying he lived in another home with his mother and was a lifelong New Yorker. Afterward, she declined to comment on the charges.

Late Wednesday and early Thursday, the girl sent text messages to her uncle saying she was in trouble. The uncle called police, who arrested Davis once he returned to the Bronx with the teenager.

Police believe Taylor used a middleman to arrange the liaison, but said Friday they hadn't identified that person.

Davis was sentenced in April 1994 to eight to 25 years in prison for first-degree manslaughter, a charge stemming from a fatal shooting. He was paroled in March 2008. Kramer said he would likely face more than 15 years in prison if he was convicted of the federal charge.

Taylor anchored the Giants' defense and led them to Super Bowl titles in 1987 and 1991. He was selected to the NFL's 75th Anniversary All-Time Team.

A 10-time Pro Bowler, he was the NFL Most Valuable Player in 1986 and the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1981, 1982 and 1986.

The weight-loss company NutriSystem Inc. said Friday it had dropped Taylor as a spokesman because of his arrest.

[Associated Press; By TOM HAYS]

Associated Press writer Larry Neumeister contributed to this report.

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