By Brian Maass

DENVER (CBS4) – A Denver district court jury awarded a former escort $1.7 million in damages last month after concluding that one of her clients, a high end Denver attorney, was guilty of outrageous conduct and invading the woman’s privacy by “outing” her to her family, friends and colleagues.

“I just feel like this was the final battle and I won,” said Jerene Dildine, 44, who agreed to tell her story to CBS4 hoping it helps other women in similar situations. “I almost killed myself over being ashamed. I want other people to know you don’t have to die from shame.”

Jerene Dildine (credit: CBS)

The attorney who was found liable in the Dildine case, Sean Saxon, told CBS4 he plans to appeal the jury verdict.

Dildine told her story to CBS4 in a series of interviews. She was a teacher working in area public school systems, primarily teaching Spanish. But in 2013, with fewer teaching hours, rising housing costs and a recent divorce that hurt her financially, she said she began searching Craigslist for part time work and decided to try bikini modeling to supplement her income. On one modeling job, she said the client asked her if she would exchange sex for money.

“I did it,” said Dildine. “And it was a very easy transition into that.”

Using an alias, she created a profile on a prostitution website offering sex for $300 per hour.

(credit: CBS)

“I had a lot of doctors, lawyers, professors, retirees, single people who didn’t have time to date. I liked it. It was very empowering. I had control over my life and I had options.”

In November of 2013, she was contacted through the website by Sean Saxon, a Denver attorney who specialized in drug and medical device litigation. He worked at a downtown Denver law firm. Although the relationship began as an escort-client relationship, within a short time it turned romantic.

Sean Saxon (credit: CBS)

“He was very charming. He was very curious and asked me a lot of questions,” said Dildine.

But Dildine said Saxon did not appreciate her continuing to work in the sex trade. She said he became angry and violent at times, and would threaten to expose her secret life.

“He was very jealous even though he knew I had to keep doing it to pay for school and pay my bills. He hated what I did.”

CBS4’s Brian Maass interviews Dildine. (credit: CBS)

Dildine said the relationship with the married attorney alternated between loving and violent, with him psychologically abusing her and preying on her depression and self -esteem issues.

Dildine broke off the relationship and asked Saxon to leave her alone. She says he refused, continuing to stalk her and threaten her with exposure.

Eventually, Saxon followed through on his threats, sending a letter to Dildine’s mother and father, brother and other relatives describing her life as a prostitute, including revealing sexual photos of her, and online reviews of her sexual services.

He sent the same packet to her classmates and teacher at a Denver aesthetician school she attended, describing her as “a mid- level prostitute. I have attached her escort profile, some of her twitter posts, and some of the on- line reviews she has received for her activities,” wrote Saxon. “I should warn you that much of it is rather pathetically pornographic.”

(credit: CBS)

Dildine says today, three years later, she can hardly fathom what Saxon did and how she felt at having her secret life exposed to family and friends.

“I felt like I was dying… that my life was over. I thought it was bad enough I should die from it. I thought it was too big to keep going.”

Dildine considered suicide.

Still, she said she just wanted Saxon to stop and leave her alone. She made contact with a Lakewood attorney, Tom Overton, who agreed to take her case.

“He outed her as an escort in the cruelest way possible,” said Overton. “Here was someone in a position of power taking advantage of someone who had issues that made her vulnerable.”

Overton helped Dildine file a grievance against Saxon’s law license and file a civil lawsuit against him for outrageous conduct and invasion of privacy.

“When you take private information and make it public to try to ruin her life that’s an invasion of privacy. It doesn’t matter who you are or what your station in life is,” said Overton, “All of us have the right to come before the courts and if someone has intentionally harmed us we can ask for them to be held responsible.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re a police officer, a newspaper reporter, an escort; it doesn’t matter who you are or what your station in life is. The courts are open to all of us for that type of claim.”

Overton argued that even though Dildine was offering sex online, she did not use her real name and online photos of her did not reveal her face or her true identity. He calls what Saxon did a case of “revenge porn.”

Tom Overton (credit: CBS)

Saxon argued that what he did was within part of his First Amendment right to free speech.

Last month, a Denver district court jury heard the evidence in the case and ordered Saxon to pay Dildine $700,000 in compensatory damages for what he had done and another $1 million in punitive damages. Saxon represented himself during the trial.

“It’s to punish him, but the message is this kind of behavior is not tolerated in our society,” said Overton. “It’s also a message to victims of domestic violence that they can stand up for themselves.”

Although he declined to be interviewed, Saxon told CBS4 in a written statement, “I am deeply sorry I became involved with Jerene Dildine, most of all because I betrayed my family. I profoundly regret much of the language I used in my communications when I exposed Ms. Dildine as a prostitute to people who know her. All the material I sent was true and was taken from Ms. Dildine’s own marketing materials that she placed on the internet and sent to her clients to promote her business. I am appealing the jury’s decision. I do not believe that Ms. Dildine should be allowed to recover damages because of embarrassment over having her illegal conduct exposed.”

Dildine told CBS4 she really doesn’t care about the money — she just wanted Saxon to leave her life and leave her alone.

“You couldn’t have paid me that much money to go through what I went through for the three years that I did. I wouldn’t have taken it.”

She hopes her case sends a broader message about shame and the treatment of women.

“We have to stop standing by and letting it happen. Everyone needs to do something — everyone,” she said emphatically.

Dirdine said she still suffers from PTSD and is in therapy to deal with what Saxon did to her. But she is now running her own skin care business and says her life is improving.

Public records show that the State Supreme Court stripped Saxon of his license to practice law for three years and his former law firm fired him when they learned what he had done.

CBS4 Investigator Brian Maass has been with the station more than 30 years uncovering waste, fraud and corruption. Follow him on Twitter @Briancbs4.

By Brian Maass

DENVER (CBS4) – A Denver judge has denied a request for a new trial from a lawyer who unmasked a Denver escort to her family, friends and colleagues.

In April, a Denver District Court jury ordered attorney Sean Saxon to pay $1.7 million in damages to a former escort, Jerene Dildine. The jury believed Saxon was guilty of outrageous conduct and invasion of privacy by outing Dildine in a form of “revenge porn.”

Sean Saxon (credit: CBS)

Saxon appealed, asking for a new trial based on what he argued were legal errors and irregularities during trial. He also asked for a reduction in damages. On June 8, Denver District court Judge J. Eric Elliff denied Saxon’s motion, essentially characterizing what Saxon had done as revenge porn.

“This problem is peculiar to our day and age, and has only come into prominence in the last several years,” wrote Elliff. “The jury’s punitive damages award in this case sends a clear message that such behavior is unacceptable and punishable to those who would engage in similar behavior. The growth in the disclosure of private photos, particularly of women, in order to shame, embarrass, or otherwise humiliate the victim as a result of a relationship gone sour has been well documented.”

Dildine was a teacher working in area public school systems, primarily teaching Spanish. But in 2013, she began searching Craigslist for part time work and tried bikini modeling. On one job she said the client offered her money for sex, and she agreed.

Jerene Dildine (credit: CBS)

She soon created an online profile on a prostitution website using an alias and offering sex for $300 per hour.

“I had a lot of doctors, lawyers, professors, retirees, single people who didn’t have time to date. I liked it. It was very empowering,” said Dildine.

In late 2013, Saxon, a married Denver attorney, contacted her through the website. Although it began as a client- prostitute relationship, it soon turned romantic.

But Saxon was disappointed Dildine remained in the sex trade during their relationship and threatened to expose her secret life if she didn’t quit.

“He was very jealous even though he knew I had to keep doing it to pay for school and pay my bills. He hated what I did,” Dildine told CBS4.

When Dildine broke off the relationship, Saxon threatened extracted revenge by exposing her shadow life. He sent a letter to Dildine’s mother and father, brother and other relatives describing her life as a prostitute, including revealing sexual photos of her and online reviews of her sexual offerings.

He sent the same packet to her classmates and teacher at a Denver aesthetician school she attended.

Dildine considered suicide.

“I felt like I was dying … that my life was over. I thought it was too big to keep going.”

With the help of attorney Tom Overton, Dildine filed a civil lawsuit against Saxon claiming invasion of privacy and outrageous conduct. After hearing testimony, a jury sided with Dildine, awarding her $700,000 in compensatory damages and another $1 million in punitive damages.

Saxon argued that what he did was within his First Amendment rights.

“I profoundly regret much of the language I used in my communications when I exposed Ms. Dildine as a prostitute to people who know her,” said Saxon in a statement. “All the material I sent was true and was taken from Ms. Dildine’s own marketing materials that she placed on the internet and sent to her clients to promote her business. I do not believe that Ms. Dildine should be allowed to recover damages because of embarrassment over having her illegal conduct exposed.”

Dildine’s attorney, Tom Overton, said, “When you take private information and make it public to try to ruin her life, that’s an invasion of privacy. It doesn’t matter who you are or what your station in life is.”

In his ruling against Saxon, Elliff characterized Saxon’s behavior as “abusive and manipulative.” The Judge wrote that “…the amount of damages awarded by the jury was supported by clear and convincing evidence…the Court is not persuaded to reduce the punitive damages award.”

Overton said “The jury system works. Everyone is entitled to access to justice whatever their station in life. This was not a windfall to Jerene. The verdict was well reasoned and based on the harm inflicted by Saxon. The order denying post- trial relief really reflects this.”

Saxon said he plans to appeal the Judge’s ruling.

“I am disappointed that the judge failed to consider the central legal issue I raised or the proof that Ms. Dildine hid documents during the case and refused to provide evidence about her prior mental health treatment to the jury — either one of which I believe entitles me to a new trial. While I regret this unfortunate situation, neither the conduct of the trial nor the jury verdict are consistent with Colorado law. I will appeal the verdict.”

CBS4 Investigator Brian Maass has been with the station more than 30 years uncovering waste, fraud and corruption. Follow him on Twitter @Briancbs4.

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (CBS4)– Police in Fort Collins arrested a man on charges of pimping and human trafficking.

According to the Coloradan, Marc Myers had a long history of contacts with police leading up to his arrest last week.

Marc Myers (credit: Larimer County Sheriff)

Police encountered Myers in 2016 and 2017 while investigating possible cases of prostitution.

Myers was booked into the Larimer County Jail on a $20,000 bond.

His first court appearance is scheduled on Thursday.

GOLDEN, Colo. (CBS4) – There has been a crackdown on crimes involving prostitution and human trafficking in Colorado. The FBI says it’s making a new push because it’s seeing those kinds of crimes on the increase.

CBS4 recently reported on a case in Golden where feds busted a massage business called Happy Feet. Agents say it was a storefront for prostitution and money laundering, among other crimes.

Agents say a rise in the commercial sex industry, like what they suspect at Happy Feet, is why a task force was formed to help combat the slew of crimes they’re seeing: prostitution, money laundering, human trafficking and tax evasion. They also want the international victims who are pulled in to know they will help them.

“Did some Googling online and the advertising was such that it didn’t leave any question that it was happy endings, not happy feet,” said Stephan Ruffatti, Ruff’s Barbeque owner, whose business is near Happy Feet.

Business owners near Happy Feet say they knew something was wrong when an all-male clientele began showing up all hours of the day and night.

Paula Hawkins owns a Curves gym next door. She says the women who worked inside Happy Feet raised another red flag.

“They would just shush themselves right into their little establishment and didn’t want to have communication,” Hawkins said.

RELATED: FBI: Customers Offered More Than Massages At Happy Feet

The Colorado Trafficking and Organized Crime Coalition, known as CTOCC, says there are many tell-tale signs to the growing commercial sex industry. It includes the housing of a large number of people in a small place, coming and going at all hours, often foreign and non-English speaking. Victims are recruited by the promise of a better life.

“They’ll tell them, ‘You can come to this country, but we have debt that you have to pay, so it’s going to cost you to work off this debt,’ ” Dave Joly with the FBI said. “It can be anything from forced labor to commercial sex trafficking in itself.”

A federal indictment says the Happy Feet defendants Hyo-Sook Ko and Patrick Kim supplied prostitutes, condoms, shower massage tables, and even gave the prostitutes housing. They were charged with prostitution and money laundering because agents say the money made there was then sent to South Korea.

The Happy Feet defendants were not charged with human trafficking but agents say bureau wide they are seeing women who are being trafficked state to state via massage parlor businesses.

Statement From The FBI

The Colorado Trafficking and Organized Crime Coalition (CTOCC) is a Local, State, and Federal Task Force established to combat Human Trafficking and Organized Crime in the State of Colorado. CTOCC investigates cases involving adult labor victims. Investigations involving juveniles, to include juvenile prostitution matters, are investigated by the FBI’s Innocence Lost Task Force. Some of the CTOCC’s investigations have involved massage parlors. Current members include the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Lakewood Police Department, Arvada Police Department, Wheat Ridge Police Department, Englewood Police Department, the Colorado State Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of State, and the FBI.

CTOCC has observed an increase in requests from local police departments asking for assistance in investigate human trafficking.

DENVER (AP) — More than 30 people in the Denver area face charges in a large prostitution bust that targeted customers, authorities say.

Nine of the people face felonies for patronizing a prostitute who was a 17-year-old high school student. Court documents obtained Wednesday show the investigation, involving local police departments and the FBI’s Innocence Lost Task Force, began when the underage girl’s father discovered sexual images on her cellphone.

The documents say a woman recruited girls for a pimp, who placed advertisements on websites offering them for prostitution. That man, 40-year-old Carlos Stegall, was charged last year with a string of crimes including trafficking in children and child prostitution. The woman, Colleen Maury, 25, was charged with similar offenses.

Stegall’s attorney, Luke McConnell, said he was not able to comment on the case. Maury’s attorney did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

The 17-year-old told investigators Maury and Stegall taught her about the escort business, how to be a prostitute and how to determine whether potential clients were members of law enforcement, the documents say. They then kept the majority of the money the prostitutes earned. The girl said a friend of hers also worked for Stegall and Maury.

Phone records related to their cases and surveillance footage from hotels helped investigators identify at least 29 customers. Police say the crimes happened in October and November 2013.

(© Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

GREELEY, Colo. (CBS4) – The Weld County District Attorney’s office has determined three police officers were justified when they shot and killed a 31-year-old man a month ago.

Police killed Raymond Garcia during a prostitution sting at a Greeley hotel on May 21.

The DA said the officers were facing “imminent danger of death” when Garcia pulled a gun on them.

DENVER (CBS4) – A search is on across the Denver metro area for the defendant in a kidnapping and attempted sex assault trial.

The Denver District Attorney’s office says Clifton Williams, 40, disappeared a few days into his trial.

Williams spoke with CBS4 from within the Denver Jail in August 2011 shortly after he was arrested.

At the time, he claimed he was the victim in the case.

“I guess I’ve been all over the news portrayed as a sexual predator, if you will, which I am not. I am not,” he said in the interview.

Police say Williams attacked a woman on South Broadway. He claims she was a prostitute that stole his money.

Clifton Williams (credit: Denver Police Department)

“I made a mistake by getting high and going to look for sex the wrong way. Someone took that $100 bill from me, and if anything really happened here crime-wise, it’s that,” he told CBS4 in the interview.

Police say surveillance video showing the attack shows bright flashes from a stun gun that Williams allegedly used on the woman in the attack before she ran away.

Clifton Williams (credit: Denver Police Department)

Williams has been out on a $60,000 bond and his trial for the charges began last week in Denver District Court. On Tuesday he never returned to the courtroom after a lunch break.

Williams is described as being 5-foot-8 and weighing 185 pounds. He is now a wanted man who likely faces even more charges.

Additional Information From The Denver Police Department

Anyone with information is asked to call Denver police at (720) 913-2000. Remain anonymous and call Crime Stoppers at (720) 913-STOP (7867). Text to CRIMES (274637) then title DMCS and enter the message or send an e-mail to metro-denvercrimestoppers.com.

SAN JOSE, Calif. (CBS4) – A Denver Broncos practice squad player was with his brother at the time his brother was cited during a prostitution sting.

According to KPIX in San Francisco, safety Ryan Murphy and his brother were together in San Jose on Tuesday when the incident occurred.

The sting was performed by Santa Clara County’s multi-agency human trafficking task force in an area of North San Jose known for prostitution. According to KPIX, the task force detained a suspected prostitute near a motel. The woman told police she need to retrieve property from a car where Murphy was inside with his brother.

Murphy’s brother and the alleged prostitute were cited. Murphy was detained, questioned by police and let go.

Murphy is a Broncos practice squad player who played college ball at Oregon State. According to the Denver Broncos website, Murphy is from the Oakland area.

Statement From The Denver Broncos

“Although practice squad safety Ryan Murphy was not cited by police, we decided it was best for the team if we continued our preparations for Super Bowl 50 without him … Ryan is returning to Denver but his status as a practice squad player has not changed at this time.”

– Denver Broncos Head Coach Gary Kubiak

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (CBS4)– Denver Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak talked about the practice squad player who was cited during a prostitution sting.

According to KPIX in San Francisco, safety Ryan Murphy, 23, and his brother were together in San Jose on Tuesday when the incident occurred.

Kubiak expressed his concern during Wednesday’s morning briefing but stressed that the team is concentrating on the upcoming game.

“There’s disappointment, yeah, but it’s been dealt with and we’ve moved on. We dealt with it yesterday and we were obviously disappointed for the young man but we’re focused on what we have to do football wise, we’re going to work this morning with our meetings and we’re getting into our routine. We’ve moved on,” said Kubiak.

Ryan Murphy #25 of the Oregon State Beavers looks to the scoreboard during a game against BYU Cougars during the second half of a college football game October 13, 2012 at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images)

The sting was performed by Santa Clara County’s multi-agency human trafficking task force in an area of North San Jose known for prostitution. According to KPIX, the task force detained a suspected prostitute near a motel. The woman told police she need to retrieve property from a car where Murphy was inside with his brother.

Murphy’s brother and the alleged prostitute were cited. Murphy was detained, questioned by police and let go.

Murphy is a Broncos practice squad player who played college ball at Oregon State. According to the Denver Broncos website, Murphy is from the Oakland area.

Kubiak said Murphy was sent home to Denver so the team could continue preparations for Super Bowl 50 without him.

By Dillon Thomas

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (CBS4)– In a recent prostitution sting, the Fort Collins Police Department received more than 440 responses to online ads for sexual services.

Investigators said more than 20 of the 444 responders physically showed up at a sting location, expecting sexual encounters, but were met instead by officers.

Police said the ads were placed on buy, sell and trade websites. While 444 responded, only 21 were cited. In total, those who physically responded to the ad agreed to pay $2,745 in exchange for sexual acts.

Police said the sting was conducted to help battle to issue of human trafficking in Larimer County.

“Many citizens don’t believe prostitution or human trafficking is an issue in Northern Colorado,” said Fort Collins Police Officer Rob Knab.

Dillon Thomas is a reporter at CBS4 and a Colorado native. He believes everyone has a story, and would love to share yours! You can find more of his stories by following him on Twitter, @DillonMThomas.

(CNN) — Cambridge Analytica, the embattled data analytics company best known for its work on President Donald Trump’s campaign, has suspended its CEO, Alexander Nix, in the wake of undercover reports showing him discussing potential bribery and entrapment.

Cambridge Analytica, the embattled data analytics company best known for its work on President Donald Trump’s campaign, has suspended its CEO Alexander Nix in the wake of undercover reports showing him discussing potential bribery and entrapment.
(credit: Patricia De Melo Moreira//Getty Images)

Nix’s suspension is immediate, “pending a full, independent investigation,” the firm said in a statement.

The statement was released moments before Channel 4 News in the UK was due to air another report in a series of exposes about the work of the company.

The report on Tuesday featured undercover footage of Nix claiming he met Trump “many times” and that the company was responsible for a wide swath of the Trump campaign’s activity.

“We did all the research, all the data, all the analytics, all the targeting,” Nix said. “We ran all the digital campaign, the television campaign, and our data informed all the strategy.”

Alex Tayler, labeled as the chief data officer for Cambridge Analytica, is recorded separately as saying the firm’s analysis was responsible for Trump’s Electoral College performance.

“When you think about the fact that Donald Trump lost the popular vote by 3 million votes, but won the Electoral College, that’s down to the data and the research,” Tayler said. “That’s how he won the election.”

Nix is also recorded telling an undercover reporter posing as a client that he believes the US has “no jurisdiction” over their activities. He goes on to describe questions he faced from the House Intelligence Committee.

“The Republicans asked three questions — five minutes, done,” he said. “The Democrats asked two hours of questions.”

A previous Channel 4 report showed Nix telling undercover reporters posing as prospective Sri Lankan clients that he could “send some girls around to the candidate’s house” in order to obtain compromising material.

An undercover reporter then asked, “… you’re using the girls for this, like the seduction, they’re not local girls? Not Sri Lankan girls?”

Nix said no.

“Just saying we could bring some Ukrainians in,” he said, adding, “They are very beautiful. I find that works very well.”

In response to that report on Monday, Cambridge Analytica said the report had been “edited and scripted” to misrepresent the nature of the conversations, and Nix denied in a statement that the company engages in entrapment or bribery.

Cambridge Analytica’s statement on Tuesday said an independent investigation would take place with the company revealing its findings “in due course.”

“Mr. Nix’s recent comments secretly recorded by Channel 4 and other allegations do not represent the values or operations of the firm and his suspension reflects the seriousness with which we view this violation,” the statement said.

(The-CNN-Wire & © 2018 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.)

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (CBS4) – Five men were arrested in an undercover investigation into child prostitution in Colorado Springs in February. Police say one of the suspects also conspired to rob the underage sex worker. A sixth man also accused of conspiring to rob an underage sex worker was also arrested in the case.

The suspects have been identified as:

• Patrick Martin, 32, Soliciting for Child Prostitution (Class Three Felony)
• Joseph Dimes, 31, Soliciting for Child Prostitution (Class Three Felony)
• Nicholas Fernandez, 42, Soliciting for Child Prostitution (Class Three Felony)
• Nathanael Martens, 27,  Soliciting for Child Prostitution (Class Three Felony), Attempt to Influence a Public Servant (Class Four Felony), and Conspiracy – to commit Robbery (Class Six Felony)
• James Harry, 31, Soliciting for Child Prostitution (Class Three Felony)

Johnathan Guenther, 67, is charged with Conspiracy – to commit Robbery (Class Six Felony).

All six suspects have been booked into the El Paso County Jail.

The release of these arrests was delayed until now due to the on-going investigations, officials said.

“Protecting children is one of our highest priorities and these arrests send a message to those who seek to prey on children, will find you and bring you to justice,” said Steven Cagen, special agent in charge, HSI Denver.