Witnesses in the U.S. District Court case against Deborah Jeane Palfrey testified yesterday about their work for an escort service run by the woman described as the “D.C. Madam” but that they did not specifically discuss sexual activity with Miss Palfrey.
Rebecca Dickinson, a lieutenant commander in the Navy, testified that she had sex with every client whom she met while she worked for Miss Palfrey from October 2005 to April 2006.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Butler asked about her first appointment.
“You knew you’re not going there just to chat?”
“Yes,” she said, adding that after the appointment when she called Miss Palfrey, known to her as “Julia,” Miss Palfrey said: “Don’t talk about this thing on the phone.”
Miss Palfrey, 52, is charged with financial racketeering, money laundering and using mail for illegal purposes. Prosecutors say she operated an escort service called Pamela Martin and Associates for 13 years, collecting $2 million.
Defense attorneys argue that Miss Palfrey only sold appointments and had no control over her employees’ actions.
Another employee, Amanda Hardeway, told Miss Palfrey’s attorney, Preston Burton, that she engaged in sexual activity with a client.
Miss Hardeway said she called “Julia” at her Escondido, Calif., home, and, “She told me he was happy with the appointment.”
“She never had discussions explicitly about sex?” Mr. Burton asked.
“That’s right,” Miss Hardeway said.
A male witness who testified Wednesday also indicated that he expected sex services from Miss Palfrey’s employees, but Miss Palfrey did not talk about it.
David Lee, 35, who now lives in Pennsylvania, said he used the Yellow Pages to find the “escort services.” He said he “was looking for a particular young lady, a young blonde, slender.”
A woman soon came to his Gaithersburg condominium, and the two had intercourse.
“I called [Miss Palfrey] up and said I was very happy,” Mr. Lee said, adding, “I got what I paid for.”
The prosecution is expected to wrap its case on Monday, with the trial expected to last about three more weeks.
Potential defense witnesses include Sen. David Vitter, Louisiana Republican, and Randall L. Tobias, who resigned as administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development and revelations that his telephone number was among 15,000 phone numbers of Miss Palfrey’s customers.
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