The Brooklyn DA's office had accused a man of kidnapping and forcing a young woman into prostitution, but yesterday prosecutors asked for the charges to be dismissed because the victim had advertised herself as an escort on Backpage.com "as recently as last month."
According to the Daily News, the woman, now 19, had said Robert Pannell, 36, "put a gun to her head when she visited him from Maryland, held her captive and ordered her to sell herself." However, after her testimony, "prosecutors subpoenaed more records from the website backpage.com, where she said her pimp peddled her, sources said. They learned the accuser posted ads before and after Pannell allegedly entered the picture, saying 'I love older guys' and 'fetish friendly.'"
Brooklyn DA's office spokesman Jerry Schmetterer said, "We discovered a problem with the credibility of the witness and brought it to the attention of the court," but Pannell's lawyer was pretty gleeful, telling the Post, "She’s still in business. [My client] e was very happy this morning when I told him the good news, that [his accuser] was a total liar."
Prosecutors said, "It happens often that victims return to that work"—and they still think Pannell forced her into prostitution. At any rate, Pannell will be sentenced for a gun charge.
