ALLEGED PIMP INDICTED ON NEW CHARGES OF CONSPIRING TO HIRE A "HITMAN" TO MURDER A BUSINESS RIVAL AND A WITNESS IN A PENDING PROSTITUTION CASE

Bronx District Attorney Robert T. Johnson announced today that a man awaiting trial on charges of promoting prostitution is facing new charges of conspiring to murder a witness in that case as well as a second target, an alleged rival pimp.

30 year old Alfonso Washington, of 300 West 139th Street, Manhattan, was indicted by a grand jury on two counts of Conspiracy in the 2nd degree, a Class "B" felony offense punishable by a maximum sentence of up to 25 years imprisonment on each count. The grand jury also charged Washington with one count of Criminal Solicitation in the 2nd degree, a Class "D" felony offense punishable by a maximum sentence of up to seven years imprisonment.

A second defendant, 30 year old Crystal Rhodes, Washington’s girl friend was also indicted on one count of Criminal Facilitation in the 2nd degree for her alleged role in attempting to arrange a "hit" on one of Washington’s competitors. Rhodes, of 880 Bryant Avenue, the Bronx, is facing a maximum sentence of up to 15 years imprisonment if convicted.

It is alleged that Washington, while being detained at the City jail on Rikers Island, agreed to pay an undercover detective whom he believed to be a "hitman," two thousand dollars to murder a witness in a pending case in which Washington is charged with promoting prostitution and endangering the welfare of a child.

It is also alleged that Washington, acting-in-concert with Rhodes, conspired to have a second victim murdered for an additional two thousand dollar fee. The second target reputedly was a business rival that Washington allegedly wanted to have killed. Investigators said Washington believed that the rival was responsible for an incident in December 2001 in which Washington was shot.

The investigation that resulted in these new conspiracy charges against Washington occurred during August and September of 2002 and involved audio tape recorded conversations between the defendants and the undercover detective.

Washington was initially arrested on March 6, 2002 and charged with Promoting prostitution in the 2nd and 3rd degrees and Endangering the welfare of a child. His initial arrest stemmed from an investigation of reports that teenage girls were being employed as nude dancers at a bar in the Hunts Point section of the Bronx.

The cases are being prosecuted by Senior Trial Assistant District Attorney Bruce Birns of the Domestic Violence / Sex Offense Bureau.