Brothel owners' arrest shocked those closest to them

[peejay 327]

Couple’s arrest shocked those closest to them

Clients in Houston brothel case numbered 700 to 1,000, police say

By PEGGY O’HARE, DANE SCHILLER and ROMA KHANNA 2009 Houston Chronicle

March 20, 2009, 9:24PM

The reputed Memorial Madam and her husband accused of running a Houston escort service that catered to the wealthy, didn’t flash cash and kept their business a secret.

In fact, Deborah Dawkins Turbiville, 33, and her husband, Charles Turbiville, 31, so carefully concealed their alleged occupation that few suspected they were anything other than average working parents — not the neighbors, not even the nanny who cared for their children.

“I was very surprised by this because of the way they conducted themselves,” said the nanny, who asked not to be identified by the Chronicle because she is now looking for a job. “They were good people to me and to their babies.”

The couple lived a simple life, with few signs of significant wealth, and cared greatly for their daughters, ages 1 and 3. They rent their west Houston home. Both drove 6-year-old cars — she a Lexus sedan and he a Chevrolet Tahoe.

Nearly two weeks ago, that seemingly quiet existence fractured when police arrested the couple and charged them with promoting prostitution. They allegedly ran a brothel and call-girl operation based in hotel rooms and on Memorial Drive.

Getting to know them

Vice squad investigators said the Turbivilles’ escort business was the largest they had encountered based on the number of customers who used their services. Customers are said to number 700 to 1,000 and included white-collar executives, at least one doctor and at least one lawyer, whose names have so far been kept secret.

Friends and family have stayed tight-lipped about the Turbivilles, but bits of their story are trickling out.

Deborah Turbiville is a Belize native, who was raised in England. She speaks with a British accent, and is just under 5 feet tall.

She attended college and graduate school before coming to the U.S., earning a master’s degree in psychology, according to a statement released by the couple’s attorneys, Keisha Smith and Joe Owmby.

Charles Turbiville, who is from College Station and is the son of a radio sportscaster there, graduated from Texas A&M Consolidated High School.

They met in 2001 and married in Brazos County in 2004, the year she became a permanent resident of the United States.

Their Facebook pages, which have recently been taken down from the Web, included a portrait in which he adoringly gazes at her. Both are dressed in suits, she wearing pearls. Their look is far removed from the mug shots taken after their arrest.

According to the Facebook page, Charles Turbiville is a Democrat and his musical tastes range from Willie Nelson and Radiohead to Frederic Chopin.

The Turbivilles have lived in Austin, College Station and Round Rock, where in 2005 they bought a 2,000-square-foot home that they still own. Neighbors in their Round Rock neighborhood said they never noticed anything unusual about the couple or any of the people coming and going from the house.

“I never would have guessed anyone in this neighborhood was associated with anything like that,” Sarah Ochoa said. “If they were, I saw no signs of it.”

Seemingly normal lives

The couple appears to have arrived in Houston in 2005.

In is unclear how the Turbivilles would have first delved into the world of prostitution or where they would have learned how to run a business that apparently was as successful as it was secretive. Neither appears to have a criminal record in the U.S.

Police note that the couple are managing members of Wazala.com LLC, according to records on file with the Texas Comptroller’s Office, but they didn’t report earning any money.

The nanny recalled that Charles Turbiville left the family’s home every day to go to work, while Deborah Turbiville spent most days at home, occasionally leaving to shop at the grocery store or claiming she was going to help her husband at the office as his secretary.

She was at the Turbivilles’ home March 10, when they were arrested.

Nanny witnessed arrest

The morning started like any other, she recalled, with Charles Turbiville leaving the house with his oldest daughter. The nanny said she assumed he was taking the child to school.

Deborah Turbiville stayed in the living room, while the nanny took the couple’s 1-year-old into the playroom.

About an hour later, the doorbell rang.

She said when she walked out to investigate, she saw an ashen Charles Turbiville handcuffed and surrounded by police.

Charles Turbiville asked the nanny to stay with his children until his mother could arrive from out of town to care for them.

She agreed. She said she later saw Deborah Turbiville led away in handcuffs as well.

“I feel so sorry, especially for the little babies,” the nanny said tearfully. “They’re very good parents. I can’t say anything bad about them because I never saw anything bad.”

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6325955.html

[mRx 16]

Always nice to see the police take down a couple of violent criminals.

[Niels Bohr 72]

I have always asked the question, what's the different between prostitution and drugs?

[peejay 327]

I have always asked the question, what's the different between prostitution and drugs?

Both are things that people want, but don't really need. Frivilous self indulgence.

And they both make the suppliers of both rich at the expense of others.

[MichelleN 0]

They just need to legalize prostitution in my mind. People are going to do it no matter what and legalizing it and creating laws and regulations in regards to it will make it safer for everyone involved. It's legal in Nevada and it hasn't degraded into a degenerate pit of pleasure and sin.

[fozzie 41]

They just need to legalize prostitution in my mind. People are going to do it no matter what and legalizing it and creating laws and regulations in regards to it will make it safer for everyone involved. It's legal in Nevada and it hasn't degraded into a degenerate pit of pleasure and sin.

More regulation!

It will clean it up and reduce the risk of serious STD. That being said, what will all the crack whores do? If people can get a safe legal choice of lady (lady in the loosest sense of the word) then the uggos have no chance!!

[peejay 327]

They just need to legalize prostitution in my mind. People are going to do it no matter what and legalizing it and creating laws and regulations in regards to it will make it safer for everyone involved. It's legal in Nevada and it hasn't degraded into a degenerate pit of pleasure and sin.

I can assure you there are crack whores in Nevada that can't or don't want to submit to any regulation or rules.

Just like there are addicts that abuse prescription drugs.

Legalizing and regulating something does not eliminate negative aspects or abuses or mean that these people will no long do illegal stuff. These behaviors always seem to attract a certain element.

Edited March 21, 2009 by peejay

[fozzie 41]

They just need to legalize prostitution in my mind. People are going to do it no matter what and legalizing it and creating laws and regulations in regards to it will make it safer for everyone involved. It's legal in Nevada and it hasn't degraded into a degenerate pit of pleasure and sin.

I can assure you there are crack whores in Nevada that can't or don't want to submit to any regulation or rules.

Just like there are addicts that abuse prescription drugs.

Legalizing and regulating something does not eliminate negative aspects or abuses or mean that these people will no long do illegal stuff. These behaviors always seem to attract a certain element.

Well, I guess there will always be 'budget' level with any product or service.