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D.C. police say TV basketball analyst Greg Anthony attempted to solicit a prostitute Friday night, a charge for which he was arrested and could face jail time.
Here’s what you need to know about Anthony’s arrest:
1. He May Have Solicited an Undercover Cop
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Anthony was arrested during an “undercover operation,” according to D.C. Metro Police spokesperson Officer Hugh Carew, who confirmed that the TV sports analyst and former NBA player may have attempted to solicit sex from an undercover police officer.
CBS announced Saturday that Anthony had been suspended indefinitely.
Anthony is married to wife Chere Lucas. According to Newsday, the couple have two children. Anthony also has two children from a former marriage.
2. A Hotel Near the Arrest is a Notorious Prostitute Hot Spot
Anthony was arrested at the 1500 block of Rhode Island Ave. NW, and though Carew could not confirm it as the location of the operation, the Holiday Inn at 1501 Rhode Island Ave. NW is somewhat notorious in the world of D.C. prostitutes.
The area in which the operation and arrest took place is well-trafficked. A Hilton Doubletree is located on the same block and another hotel and an apartment house are located across the street.
The Holiday Inn, among other hotels, was frequented by prostitutes who allegedly worked for Deborah Jean Palfrey, dubbed “the D.C. Madam.” The phone number of the Holiday Inn is on a list of locations frequented by Palfrey’s prostitution ring.
Palfrey gained notoriety after her authorities charged her with running a high-priced prostitution ring in D.C., a scandal that ultimately led to the resignation of Ambassador Randall L. Tobias.
Vice President Dick Cheney was also allegedly on Palfrey’s client list. Palfrey ultimately committed suicide on May 1, 2008.
As journalist Wayne Madsen reported back in 2007 on his blog, the Wayne Madsen Report:
“WMR has confirmed with extremely knowledgeable CIA and Pentagon sources that the former CEO who is on Deborah Jeane Palfrey’s list is Vice President Dick Cheney. Cheney was CEO of Halliburton during the time of his liaisons with the Pamela Martin & Associates escort firm. Palfrey’s phone invoices extend back to 1996 and include calls to and from Cheney.”
Carew would not confirm that the D.C. Metro police “undercover operation,” as he termed it, was in any way connected to Anthony’s arrest, and hotel staff said no recent arrests have been made at the hotel.
3. Other Arrests Were Made
Police would not say if Anthony was the subject of the sting, though Carew did confirm that other individuals were arrested as part of the operation.
Carew declined to elaborate saying he would “not discuss operational details,” though he did say that Anthony was arrested at 5:46 p.m and was released later Friday evening.
According to the D.C. Metro police’s most recent available annual report, there were 875 arrests related to prostitution in 2013, up from 613 a year earlier.
The Huffington Post reported in 2012 that D.C.’s ward 2, in which the operation Friday was carried out, is considered a hub for prostitution in the city.
4. Anthony Could Face 90 Days Behind Bars
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Carew said Anthony could see as much as 90 days in jail if he is convicted.
According to District of Columbia statutes, if he is found guilty, Anthony could be fined and “imprisoned not more than 90 days, or both, for the first offense.”
Media outlets had reported that Anthony could see as much as 180 days in jail on his misdemeanor charge, though statute stipulates the 180-day sentence is for a second offense, which Carew confirmed.
5. He’s Due Back in Court in February
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Anthony was released on a citation, according to Carew, and he’s due back in court for arraignment on Feb. 3.
He issued an apology Saturday, calling his arrest a “lapse of judgement” and an embarrassment:
“With this lapse of judgment, I embarrassed many, including myself. I will work to regain the trust that I have lost, and the first step is saying that I am sorry.”