HOLBROOK, NY – Authorities in Suffolk County have charged four individuals, including a veteran police officer and a longtime teacher, with running a prostitution ring in Long Island. The suspects are accused of operating brothels and managing sex workers over the course of five years. The group allegedly ran the illicit operation at various locations, including a building known as the American Girls Spa, where two additional brothels were discovered.
George Trimiliozzi, a 55-year-old police officer with 18 years of service, and Steven Arey, a 53-year-old teacher, were among those arrested. They are accused of managing operations for the group, which was allegedly headed by 60-year-old Frank Saggio and his girlfriend, Dana Ciardullo. According to prosecutors, the group profited by collecting fees from sex workers and advertising their services.
Investigators revealed that in March 2021, a customer was allegedly robbed at one of the brothels. Trimiliozzi, while on duty, reportedly sped to the location in his marked police car after receiving a warning from a sex worker that the customer had called the police. He then allegedly falsified official paperwork to cover up his unauthorized visit.
Saggio faces charges of sex trafficking, with authorities accusing him of exploiting vulnerable workers, some of whom could not speak or read English, by making them sign leases for exorbitant monthly amounts. He also faces multiple counts of promoting prostitution and is being held on a $500,000 bond.
Trimiliozzi is charged with 18 separate counts, including promoting prostitution, while Arey faces 28 counts. Ciardullo is facing 18 counts as well. Each of the four suspects could face prison terms ranging from eight to 25 years if convicted on the most serious charges.
The arrests came after a lengthy investigation, and authorities described the situation as a betrayal of public trust. None of the defendants’ attorneys have responded to requests for comment.