Cambridge city councilor charged in brothel bust says "I will be forever sorry"
Cambridge City Councilor Paul Toner is now facing charges for allegedly buying sex at a high-end brothel that was
busted by federal authorities
in 2023.
Toner is a former head of the Massachusetts Teachers Association and has a wife and two children.
In a statement to WBZ-TV, Toner said, "I caused pain for the people I care about most. For that, I will be forever sorry. This is an ongoing legal matter and I will not have further comment at this time."
His defense attorney, Timothy Flaherty, said he is "a man of high character."
"Paul Toner is a person I have known my entire life," Flaherty said. "He's a man of high character. He loves his family and his family loves him. None of us are perfect. He's a hard-working city councilor, and the City of Cambridge is lucky to have him."
In a statement to WBZ-TV, four Cambridge city councilors said the charges against Toner "are deeply concerning."
"Councilor Toner has the right to a fair process through the judicial system. Any violation of the law would violate the oath of office he took upon taking office. Solicitation of prostitution is illegal in Massachusetts. If convicted, his actions would not simply be a lapse in judgment of a private individual but a crime and a violation of the trust placed in him by the public," Councilors Burhan Azeem, Patricia Nolan, Sumbul Siddiqui and Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler said in a statement.
"Illegal prostitution is inherently exploitative and is not a victimless crime. We stand with those hurt by exploitation. We call on Councilor Toner to consider the impact of this situation on the City Council and his role as a leader in the community."
Eleven more so-called "johns" are now facing criminal charges after probable cause hearings on Friday. Cambridge police say these men paid hundreds of dollars per hour for sex or the "girlfriend experience" with young Asian women inside Cambridge apartment complexes.
None of the suspects showed up for their hearings Friday, most sending just their lawyers.
Their absence infuriated activists, who hung signs outside court in protest.
"People are waking up and they're ordering, like they're ordering food off our menu," advocate Chanta Carter said.
Another dozen or so alleged clients are expected in court again next Friday. These are probable cause hearings, after the hearings are when the alleged clients have been charged. They will be arraigned on the charges later this spring.
In total, 28 alleged clients have been connected to a sex ring run out of upscale apartment buildings in Cambridge, Dedham and Watertown, as well as Virginia.
Last week, the names of 12 other suspects were
read aloud in court
in Cambridge. Among the individuals charged were a pharmaceutical CEO, a dentist and finance executive.
Authorities say the brothel network catered to "wealthy and well-connected" customers. At the time of the brothel bust in November 2023, former U.S. attorney for Massachusetts Joshua Levy said the customer list also included doctors, lawyers, accountants, military officers, government contractors, professors and scientists.
Many of them fought to keep their names
out of the public record.
"They will undoubtedly lose their jobs, lose their professions and have their lives ripped apart," attorney Benjamin Urbelis, representing five of the men, argued before the Supreme Judicial Court.
The
high court ruled
, however, that the media would have access to preliminary court hearings that determine whether the alleged clients will face charges.
Han Lee, Junmyung Lee and James Lee have pleaded guilty for their roles in running the alleged brothel network.
On Wednesday, a federal judge sentenced Han Lee to four years in prison and ordered her to pay more than $5.4 million. Prosecutors say the defendants convinced women to travel across state lines for the prostitution network, and required sex buyers to give their employer information and references as part of a screening process.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
An immigrant in Wisconsin has been released on bond after false accusation he threatened Trump
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A man who was falsely accused of threatening to assassinate President Donald Trump and threatened with deportation to Mexico was released Thursday from a Wisconsin jail on bond, three weeks after federal immigration agents arrested him. Ramón Morales Reyes, 54, was accused of a writing a letter threatening Trump in a social media post by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that got widespread national coverage. The post includes Morales Reyes' photo and an excerpt from the letter he purportedly wrote in English. But the claims quickly fell apart as Wisconsin authorities determined that Reyes, who doesn't speak English well or write in the language, was framed. Morales Reyes was a victim in a violent 2023 attack where his bike was stolen. According to authorities, the alleged attacker, Demetric D. Scott, forged the letter to try to clear his case. Morales Reyes was set to be a witness in Scott's July trial for armed robbery and aggravated battery. Morales Reyes was released in the afternoon after paying the $7,500 bond that an immigration judge set on Tuesday. Speaking to WISN-TV, Morales Reyes said he and his lawyer will fight his deportation. 'I believe (the lawyer) knows the history and all of you know what happened," he said. He was later met by relatives and members of the Milwaukee-based immigrant rights group Voces de la Frontera, which has helped work on his case. Christine Neumann-Ortiz, the organization's executive director, said Morales Reyes was 'relieved' and 'very grateful for all of the support he's received.' Judge Carla Espinoza said at the immigration court hearing in Chicago that Morales Reyes was not a threat to the community. Morales Reyes, a married father of three U.S. citizen children, works as a dishwasher in Milwaukee. He was arrested by immigration agents last month after dropping a child off at school. He immigrated from Mexico in the 1980s and doesn't have legal permission to be in the U.S. This year, he applied for a U visa, which is for people in the country illegally who are victims of serious crimes. Getting such a visa can take years. Homeland Security issued a statement to reporters last week saying that although Morales Reyes was no longer considered a threat to Trump, federal attorneys would still pursue an immigration case. The government alleges that Morales Reyes reentered the U.S. numerous times without a visa. Morales Reyes had been held in the Dodge Detention Center in Juneau, about 70 miles (113 kilometers) north of Milwaukee. He was released after the federal government did not appeal the setting of his bond. Noem's social media post blaming Morales Reyes for an assassination attempt, which was circulated by Trump supporters, remains online. ___ Tareen reported from Chicago.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Man arrested after setting racoon loose in business
A man was arrested after releasing a racoon into an open business in Murray, Kentucky. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The man, 40-year-old Jonathan Mason, was charged with assault, criminal trespassing, resisting arrest and failure of owner to maintain required insurance. TRENDING STORIES: Suspect taken to hospital after officer-involved shooting in Montgomery County It is getting tougher for high schools across Ohio to make the football playoffs Arrest made in connection to shooting that killed Dayton teen Police say they received a call that someone had intentionally set a racoon loose inside a business. Officers found Mason while he was driving and initiated a traffic stop. Police say Mason refused to roll down his windows or exit his vehicle, so officers removed him from the vehicle. Police learned that Mason had been previously warned that he was not allowed in that business. They also learned that the racoon had bit a person. Mason is being held in the Calloway County Jail. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
There's A Name For The Sadness And Guilt Latinos Feel While Watching ICE Raids
In a city as Latino as Los Angeles ― approximately 48.6% of the region is Hispanic or Latino ― you don't have to look too far to find someone who's been affected by the ongoing ICE raids throughout the area. I know someone whose grandma's church parking lot was used as a staging ground to detain immigrants. Others I know, who have documented status, say they've had heavy hearts all week, fully aware that they're only one or two generations removed from being considered 'illegal' by the Trump administration. They've inherited a certain amount of comfort through the legal status attained by their parents and grandparents, but the people on the news don't look different at all from their tíos or primas. (And of course, Latino communities are not the only immigrant groups being targeted: There are Black, Asian, Middle Eastern and Pacific Islanders immigrants also under threat.) Whatever your ethnicity or legal status, it's impossible not to feel shaken by footage of fieldworkers being snatched on the job by federal agents or hear about 12-year-olds being detained outside their elementary schools. Unless you're native, all of us can trace our history back to an immigrant who was searching for a better life in America. Jennifer León Salinas, a trauma-focused family therapist in Los Angeles, California, said she's been anxious all week, as have many of her clients. 'As a therapist, undocumented immigrant, and a DACA recipient, it has been devastating, dehumanizing, enraging, fear-inducing, and exhausting to constantly witness and experience these raids,' she told HuffPost. As the raids continue to dominate the news, León Salinas said it's important to name the anxiety, guilt and uncertainty people are experiencing. It's called 'collective trauma.' According to the American Psychological Association, collective trauma refers to 'traumas rooted in oppression or discrimination toward a minority group by a dominant group, in contrast to interpersonal trauma.' 'By calling it what it is and validating the fear and uncertainty, we can resist the pressure of normalcy, this act of 'business as usual,' develop external and internal resources, and build community rather than being isolated, dismissed, or shut down,' the therapist said. We asked León Salinas and another therapist who works with Latino communities to share their best self-care advice for these stressful times. 'Many of us were taught to stay strong, to keep going, to push through — and that resilience has helped our families survive so much,' said Alejandro Sandoval, a marriage and family therapist. That strength is real and powerful, but healing also means giving yourself permission to feel what's happening. Anxiety, grief, rage — these are normal responses to abnormal situations. Those feelings don't make you weak, they make you human. 'You can be both resilient and tender,' Sandoval told HuffPost. 'Finding spaces where you can safely express those emotions — with a trusted friend, therapist, faith leader, or within your community, even online — allows you to release what you've been carrying. You don't have to do it alone. Emotional safety is not a luxury — it's part of survival, too.' León Salinas notes that there are therapy directories like LatinxTherapy, Inclusive Therapists, and Open Path Collective to find a therapist that best resonates with you. Regardless of immigration status, don't forget that you still have rights ― encroached on as they may be under the current administration. Learning those rights sends a message:'I belong here. I have a voice. I will not be silenced or erased,' León Salinas said. 'Understanding our constitutional rights empowers us to stand with dignity, make informed decisions, and protect ourselves from fear-induced tactics by the government,' she said. 'When we share that knowledge with others in our communities, we help build collective strength and resilience.' On social media and in neighborhoods, people have shared these printable, pocket-sized 'Know Your Rights' red cards with information in multiple languages explaining how to handle encounters with federal immigration authorities. Many immigrants — and even those just witnessing what's happening — are living in a constant state of survival mode, Sandoval said. Meaning, as you read these jarring headlines and watch the news, your nervous system is on high alert, scanning for danger. As a result, he said, you might feel anxious, tense, numb or emotionally drained. These are natural responses to ongoing stress and fear. 'Simply noticing these signals — without judgment — can be the first step toward finding steadiness in a time that feels anything but steady,' Sandoval said. 'Ask yourself: What does my body need right now? Rest? Stillness? Support? Your body is not the enemy; it's trying to protect you.' Protecting yourself could also mean taking some time away from watching the news or doomscrolling. Of course it's important to stay informed, but be aware when your body is feeling overwhelmed or distressed and take a break. Trauma pulls us out of the present and into panic or shutdown. Grounding helps bring you back, Sandoval said. One simple tool is the 5-4-3-2-1 technique: Name five things you see, four you can touch, three you hear, two you smell, and one you taste. 'Or place a hand over your heart and breathe slowly, saying, 'Estoy aquí. Estoy a salvo.' ('I am here. I am safe.'),' Sandoval said. 'These practices help regulate the nervous system and gently remind your body that it's no longer in immediate danger.' Too often, the world reduces us to our labor, León Salinas said. It scales us down to what we can produce with our minds and bodies, when we're so much more than that. That's why making a concerted effort to protect and lean into our joy is a radical act of self-preservation and power, especially during trying times like this, the therapist said. 'Our joy reminds us that we are more than our suffering and that we can reclaim our story,' she said. 'It allows us to challenge the systems of oppression by using our bodies to laugh, sing, dance, and storytelling throughout generations to come.' In difficult times, it also might help to remember generations of the past, and what they endured and survived. 'When it feels hard to pause or feel, we can remember: our strength didn't start with us — it's ancestral,' Sandoval said. 'It lives in us, even now.' How To Find A Therapist Who Focuses On Latine Mental Health Protesting? Here's What To Wear, Bring And Do To Protect Yourself. There's Growing Anger Over Flags Flown At LA Protests. Here's What Everyone Is Getting Wrong.
