Accused pimp psychologist Alexander Marino found, arrested

An Exeter (New Hampshire) psychologist charged with running a prostitution ring in Portsmouth turned himself in to police today.

Alexander Marino, who has an office at 24 Front St. in Exeter, has been wanted by police since Saturday. He faces prostitution and drug charges.

Marino, 38, is now being held on $16,000 bail. He will likely appear in court tomorrow.

Police issued an arrest warrant for Marino Saturday after an investigation alleged he allowed a prostitution operation to be run out of his apartment at 595 Sagamore Ave. in Portsmouth.

Last week Portsmouth police arrested a woman on a prostitution charge when they discovered her in Marino’s apartment with drugs. A man who was also in the apartment climbed out a window and jumped while holding an opened condom, according to Portsmouth police Capt. Corey MacDonald.

Police also arrested Jim Parra, 22, of Kittery, Maine, who turned himself in Saturday.

Police said the prostitution operation may extend into Manchester and the Portsmouth, Maine area. It was advertised on the website http://www.backpage.com, police said.

Psychologist by day, pimp by night; police searching for Alexander Marino

Police are hunting for an Exeter psychologist accused of being involved in a prostitution operation in Portsmouth (New Hampshire).

Alexander Marino, 38, is wanted on several charges. He’s a licensed clinical psychologist with an office at 24 Front St. in Exeter.

Portsmouth police said Marino allowed a prostitution operation to be run out of his apartment, located at a complex at 565 Sagamore Ave., Apt. 4, in Portsmouth.

Police said women would meet male clients at the complex’s pool and take them to Marino’s apartment. Other men would arrive in taxi cabs, police said.

Police said they were tipped off to the alleged operation by “community complaints.”

Officers conducted a surveillance operation of Marino’s apartment on Thursday and detected drug use. As officers closed in, a man climbed out of a window and jumped while holding an opened condom, according to Portsmouth police Capt. Corey MacDonald.

Officers then arrested Brooke Parent, 22, of Manchester, on a prostitution charge.

In addition to Marino, police are also looking for Jim Para, 22, of Kittery, Maine who is wanted on a prostitution charge. Marino is wanted for prostitution and marijuana possession.

Anyone with information on their whereabouts can call Seacoast Crime Stoppers at 603-431-1199.

Police said the prostitution operation may extend into Manchester and the Portsmouth, Maine area. It was advertised on the website http://www.backpage.com, police said.

Source: Jason Claffey, “Psychologist by Day; Pimp by Night, Police Say,” Exeter Patch, August 5, 2012.

Report suggests child psychiatrist faked dementia to avoid molestation retrial

A California child psychiatrist charged with sexually molesting five of his patients faked Alzheimer’s disease to avoid a retrial, a prosecutor says.

William Ayres, 80, of San Mateo, former president of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, appeared at a court hearing Friday in shackles and a prison jumpsuit, the San Jose Mercury News reported. He was in a wheelchair.

Ayres was committed to Napa State Hospital last year. In 2009, a jury deadlocked on sexual abuse charges filed against him.

Deputy District Attorney Melissa McKowan said a report by John McIlnay, a psychologist working for the state of California, suggests Ayres faked the symptoms of dementia and was able to use his knowledge of the field to get past tests meant to discover malingering. Judge John Grandsaert has sealed the report.

“I am skeptical of anything the doctor has done up to this point,” McKowan said after the hearing. “Based on the report, we have reason to believe this whole thing was a hoax and we have been duped.”

Grandsaert scheduled a full hearing Oct. 1 in San Mateo County Superior Court.

Source: “Report: Psychiatrist faked dementia,” UPI, August 4, 2012