Last October, 53-year-old Robert Pinter was arrested at a porn shop by the NYPD on prostitution charges. He was just one of many caught up in the police’s sting operation on a series of gay adult sex and video stores across the city. Furious, the gays protested, trying to get Mayor Michael Bloomberg to pay attention and halt the investigations. Pinter is going one step further: He’s suing.
In a lawsuit filed against New York City last month in federal court, Pinter claims his constitutional rights were violated at “Blue Door Video on First Ave. after a younger, Asian-American man flirted with him and suggested the two leave the store for consensual sex in a nearby car. As they were exiting, the young man, who told Pinter he was 29, said he would pay Pinter $50 for oral sex. Pinter said he ignored that comment and was then busted for prostitution. Initially, Pinter pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and received a small fine and a light sentence. He challenged that plea earlier this year and it was vacated. The case was reopened and the charge was dismissed.”
(The NYPD used the sting to find reason to file nuisance complaints against the shops in order to close them.)
It’s unclear whether Pinter will be alone among the 30 men arrested. For obvious reasons, these guys have an interest in not making the matter a bigger deal: Filing a lawsuit draws attention to the fact that they were in gay adult shops. Not a big deal for all, but certainly to some.
How about we take this to the next level?
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scott ny'er
OK. 1. KUDOS to Pinter for challenging the plea and then ultimately getting it dismissed. Seriously, his case veers similarly to the Queer as Folk episode where Uncle Vic got busted wrongly in a bathroom. Effin’ fraud and entrapment.
2. I’m not sure if other men would challenge the system or know to challenge the system as Pinter did. For the reason of exposure as Queerty listed or just ignorance or apathy. You know, you get a ticket and you just pay it to get the whole process over with.
This is terrible. I like cops when they play by the book and fight crime… drug dealers, etc. I don’t like crooked cop and injustice and it seems there’s a lot of that.
Tom
Another way of looking at this would be if the cop shoved drugs in to your pocket and then busted you for possession. It’s not even entrapment this was a frame-up pure and simple. They were trying to close down porno shops and didn’t care if they had to do it illegally over the backs of a few middle-aged gay men. I assume they were counting on the fact that that these men would be too embarrassed and ashamed to stop it. Bravo to Mr. Pinter for fighting back publicly and loudly. I hope the city now has to stuff his pocket with lots and lots of dollah bills.
terrwill
Just what I really, really want!! a 53 year old hustler!!!
PopSnap
Prostitution should be LEGAL, as well as drugs. It’s none of the governments fucking business what I want to do with my body.
UWSguy
Bloomberg is a phony and a liar.