Two Prostitution Suspects Plead Not Guilty

A Rochester man with a lengthy criminal record and a Manchester woman who were arrested by Portsmouth Police Thursday for prostitution pleaded not guilty Friday in Portsmouth Circuit Court.

Andre Hunter, 45, of 69 Woodlin Green in Rochester will go to trial on charges for a class B misdemeanor of prostitution; a class A misdemeanor of breach of bail out of Dover Circuit Court on March 5, 2013. Hunter is also facing a class B felony of possession of prescription drugs after police.

Sara Cruz, 33, of 541 Lake St. in Manchester will go to trial for a class A misdemeanor prostitution charge on Feb. 19, 2013. Both of the suspects had video arraignments from the Rockingham County Jail in Brentwood on Friday morning.

Portsmouth Police Prosecutor David Colby requested $5,000 cash bail and $10,000 personal recognizance bail for Hunter because of his lengthy criminal record. He also requested a source of funds hearing if Hunter is able to raise the cash bail given the large amount of money police found in his possession when he was arrested on Thursday at 1:42 on the Route 1 Bypass.

, 31, of of 1 Northway Circle in Dover to meet a customer who had agreed to pay her $450 who also turned out to be an undercover Portsmouth Police officer. Sullivan was charged with a class B misdemeanor prostitution offense and is scheduled to be arraigned in Portsmouth Circuit Court on Jan. 28, 2013.

Colby said Hunter "is a danger to the community at large" because he is a registered sex offender out of Massachusetts who was convicted of sexually assaulting a child under 16 years old. Colby said Hunter also has past convictions in Belknap County and Massachusetts and just recently breached his bail conditions in Dover District Court when he was arrested for prostitution and the other charges on Thursday. Colby said Hunter also owes $46,000 in back child support payments.

Colby requested that Hunter have no contact with Sullivan or the Port Motor Inn, and does not possess any alcohol, drugs or weapons.

Hunter told the court that he is employed and lives in a condo in Rochester with his girlfriend. He requested personal recognizance bail "because I am not a flight risk. I have a good job and I have a house and kids that I support."

Colby told the court that while Hunter claims that his Rochester address is his legal address, his address on his Massachusetts Driver's License is in Dorchester, Mass. Hunter said he has lived in Rochester for nearly three years and has a temporary job with Tyco.com.

Judge Sharon DeVries imposed the bail conditions that Colby requested.

The complaint against Cruz stated she was arrested for prostitution after she agreed to perform sex acts on an undercover Portsmouth Police officer for $250 before she was arrested on the Route 1 Bypass.

When asked if she understood that she could face a $1,200 fine if convicted, Cruz replied, "Yeah, I just want to go home. I have five children at home."

Judge DeVries pointed out that given her latest arrest and her prior charge of disobeying a Nashua Police officer in October and her failure to appear in Nashua Circuit Court on Nov. 27, she would have to impose the $1,000 cash bail set by the Nashua Circuit Court judge. Cruz was scheduled for a hearing on that case in Nashua on Jan. 27, 2013 at 8:15 a.m.

Colby recommended $5,000 personal recognizance bail for the class B misdemeanor prostitution charge in Portsmouth and that Cruz be ordered not to drive a motor vehicle, not to use alcohol, drugs or weapons and to have no contact with the Port Motor Inn.

Cruz pleaded with the court for release because she said she just got her children back in November and was set to start a new job at an Irving Gas Station and convenience store a short distance from her Manchester home next week.

Judge DeVries set a trial date for Cruz on Feb 19, 2013 at 8:30 a.m.