'House of Prostitution" Defendant Faces Year In Jail

A Riverhead man charged with operating a brothel on a quiet residential street was arraigned Monday and held in the Suffolk County Correctional Facility in lieu of $25,000 bail.

Adrian Figueroa, 43, was charged with promoting prostitution in the third degree and faces a sentence ranging from probation and a $5000 fine to one year in jail, according to Bob Clifford, spokesman for Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota.

Figueroa is represented by Hampton Bays defense attorney Melinda Rubin, Clifford added; his next scheduled court date is Friday.

Riverhead Town police arrested Figueroa, a Maple Avenue resident on Sunday and charged him with operating an alleged house of prostitution.

According to Riverhead Town police, a call was received at 11:45 a.m. on Sunday that a woman was possibly being held against her will and forced into prostitution at a house located at 320 Maple Avenue in Riverhead.

Police said that after arriving at the residence, several subjects were detained. Several subjects allegedly fled the scene on foot; another individual, who was found in the area operating a vehicle, was allegedly directly involved, according to a witness.

The operator of the vehicle, Figueroa, of 320 Maple Avenue, was transported to Riverhead Town police headquarters for questioning. He was later placed under arrest after police said it was determined he was the person controlling the prostitution business out of the residence. Figueroa was processed and held overnight until he could be arraigned on charges of promoting prostitution in the third degree.

Further investigation revealed that the home was being used as a "house of prostitution," police said; the two women found inside were allegedly determined to be there of their own free will.

Neighbors were unaware of the prostitution that had allegedly been taking place on the quiet street.