NH Pair Charged With Running 'Chloe's Companions' Escort Service In Mass. Towns

BOSTON, MA — Two New Hampshire women were arrested last week and charged with running an online escort service in several communities in Massachusetts, New York and their home state. Sonya Palic – known as "Chloe" – and Charlotte Napolitano – aka "Red" – allegedly advertised and provided escort services through their website, chloescompanions.com, the attorney general's office said.

The women were reportedly trafficked in local communities including Waltham, Newton, Lexington, Braintree and Boston, according to the Mass. AG's Office. Police arrested Palic in Lexington on Feb. 8, and Napolitano was taken into custody in Derry, New Hampshire, that same day. The website has since been taken down.

The Waltham Police Department first referred the pair to the attorney general's office last September, sparking an investigation into what the attorney general called an "organized and sophisticated criminal enterprise."

Palic and Napolitano allegedly arranged for women to meet with men, either for "in-calls" or "out-calls" at hotels, and exchange sex for cash. A large portion of the profits went directly to Palic and Napolitano, which they then laundered into the business, authorities said.

About 12 to 15 women at a time were allegedly trafficked through the website, which provided profiles of the women and a calendar for available dates and locations for each woman, according to the AG's office.

Palic and Napolitano are charged with trafficking in persons for sexual servitude, deriving support from prostitution, money laundering and conspiracy to traffic persons for sexual servitude. Both women have pleaded not guilty. Bail was set at $100,000 and $75,000, respectively, with the conditions that they have no contact with each other, the clients or the victims and surrender their passports. Napolitano is due back in court March 8, and Palic will next appear in court on March 20.

"We allege that these defendants ran an organized and sophisticated criminal enterprise in which they profited personally from trafficking women to sex buyers in our communities," Attorney General Maura Healey said in a statement. "Demand for commercial sex drives this exploitative industry and we will continue our work to disrupt these operations and prosecute traffickers to protect women from this egregious crime."

Editor's Note: This story was written using information provided by the Massachusetts Attorney General's office. The individuals charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Photo Credit: Emilian Robert Vicol via Flickr