2 NH Women Busted in Mass. for Sex Trafficking Via Online Escort Service

BOSTON, MA — Two New Hampshire women allegedly running an online escort service across the Northeast were arrested last week by Mass. State Police on sex trafficking charges after a multi-month investigation into their reported online escort service, Chloe’s Companions. Sonya Palic (a.k.a. “Chloe”), 46, of Manchester, and Charlotte Napolitano (a.k.a “Red”), 45, of Derry, were arrested on Feb. 8, 2017, on numerous charges.

Editor’s Note: This post was derived from information supplied by the Mass. Attorney General’s Office. It does not indicate a conviction. This link explains the name removal request process for NH Patch police reports.

Palic was arrested in Lexington, MA, by Mass. State Police assigned to the MA AG’s Human Trafficking Division with assistance from the Lexington Police Department while Napolitano was arrested by authorities in Derry.

“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,” said Attorney General Maura Healey 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.”

Palic was charged with trafficking in persons for sexual servitude, deriving support from prostitution, money laundering, and conspiracy to traffic persons for sexual servitude. She was arraigned on Feb. 8, in Concord MA District Court and pleaded not guilty. She was issued $100,000 cash bail and is to have no contact with the sex buyers, victims, Napolitano, and had to surrender her passport.

Napolitano was arrested by Derry Police in New Hampshire and after a hearing, transferred to Massachusetts. She was arraigned in Concord MA District Court on sexual servitude, deriving support from prostitution, money laundering, and conspiracy to traffic persons for sexual servitude charges, pleaded not guilty, and was issued $75,000 bail, with similar restrictions as Palic.

According to Healey, the Mass. AG’s Office started an investigation into their alleged activities in September 2016 after being referred by the Waltham Police.

“The AG’s investigation revealed that Palic and Napolitano ran an organized and sophisticated criminal enterprise from their home offices in New Hampshire,” according to Healey. “They allegedly advertised and provided ‘escort’ services in the Northeast, primarily in Massachusetts but also in New Hampshire and New York, through their website, chloescompanions.com. Women were allegedly trafficked in local cities and towns including Boston, Braintree, Lexington, Newton and Waltham. The AG’s Office obtained an order to have the website taken down.”

Investigators allege that Palic and Napolitano had as many as 15 women in their stable of escorts that were trafficked around the region. The investigation is ongoing.

According to Healey, the New Hampshire State Police as well as Derry and Manchester Police assisted with the investigation.

According to the New Hampshire Secretary of State's online business filings, Palic has one registered business, Vertical Revenue Inc., which was created in September 2013. The business status is "not in good standing," according to the state. The last filing was made in 2015.

Credit: Emilian Robert Vicol via Flickr