Cops Testify in Oakland Underage Sex Trial

OAKLAND —Three police officers testified for the prosecution Tuesday in the sex trial of a 29-year old Oakland man charged with four felony counts associated with operating an underage escort service from his home.

If convicted on all counts—which include pimping and unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor—29-year-old Edward Sullivan could receive more than 11 years in prison, according to Deputy District Attorney Delia Trevino.

Oakland Police officers James Saleda and Daniel Donovan, both investigators in the department’s child exploitation unit, described their Sept. 7, 2001 search of Sullivan’s 68th Avenue apartment. Armed with a search warrant and a map of the apartment drawn by a 16-year-old former prostitute known as “Persia,” the officers said they found a number of incriminating pieces of evidence, including a journal and a dayplanner containing prostitution-related entries. A business tax certificate from the City of Oakland for Sullivan’s at-home business, “Big Knight Entertainment,” was also entered into evidence.

Saleda, who joined the Oakland force six years ago and was assigned last fall to full-time work tracking down pimps trafficking in minors, said in a phone interview that it took him six months of investigations to bring charges against Sullivan. While Saleda declined to comment on details of the case, citing his involvement as a witness, he did say he expects a few more major underage prostitution cases to enter the Alameda County justice system in the near future. He said bringing charges against men who engage minors in prostitution is extremely difficult because the girls involved tend to disappear—and those who don’t are extremely fearful of their pimps and often give inconsistent statements.

The third officer, Susan Rolovich of the San Francisco Police Department, testified that she had encountered Sullivan and three young girls on June 26, 2001 on the corner of Post and Larkin Streets, a location known for prostitution. Rolovich, who was working undercover as a prostitute at the time in a decoy operation, said Sullivan’s white Ford Bronco circled the block several times before pulling up to the curb where she stood.

According to her testimony, Rolovich asked Sullivan through the open passenger side window if he wanted a “date”—prostitution slang, she said, for sex—Rolovich said Sullivan replied, “No, bitch, I’m putting these bitches to work. I’m their Daddy.” At that point, Rolovich said, she ran her fingers through her hair several times—a signal for nearby covert officers to descend on the scene and make an arrest. After further investigations, no charges were brought against Sullivan, or against the girls, who Rolovich said were dressed “like they were going out to work as prostitutes.”

On cross-examination defense attorney Jason Davis attempted to raise the possibility that the girls were working as dancers in a nearby strip club instead of as prostitutes, but Sullivan maintained that she had reasonable cause to pursue further investigation.

“My job is to work undercover,” she said. “From seeing him drive around the block with three girls, I had the idea that he was a pimp.”

“One girl,” she added, “looked like she was ten.”