Nevada Prostitution: Laws and Stories
There I was, a UNR student majoring in nursing, sitting in the shower brainstorming what in the world I could possibly write my Truckee River Area research paper on (Yes, the shower, where everyone contemplates life’s biggest questions). I asked myself questions like “What is something I am completely unfamiliar with? What is something that people may not know about when it comes to this area?” Then it hit me: “Brothels! We are the only state in the entire country that has legal brothels!” What is a nursing student doing thinking about brothels? Well, I like to think of them as a hidden world—a world that the general pu blic probably never thinks about, and something that I was interested in learning more about. Now here you are, about to fill your brain with knowledge all about a brothel in the Truckee Watershed area. I must mention, I feel that it is important to begin with the legal matters pertaining to prostitution in order to create a clear definition of what it is and what it entails, particularly in Nevada. Then, things get juicy as I cover stories of revenge, murder, tax evasion, lies, relocation turned restoration, and current conflict pertaining to Reno’s Mustang Ranch.
Legal Prostitution in Nevada
Because Nevada is the only state in the United States where prostitution is legal, I felt that it was important to include information about the boundaries surrounding its legality. The legalization of prostitution is not a free-for-all law; there are restrictions. Legal prostitution can only take place in brothels under certain conditions. For example, “In a county whose population is 700,000 or more, the license board shall not grant any license to a petitioner for the purpose of operating a house of ill fame or repute or any other business employing any person for the purpose of prostitution” (Chapter 244). In counties where the population is below 700,000, prostitution is legal if and only if the petitioner, or brothel entrepreneur, has fulfilled the application process of getting a license from the county licensing board, pays licensing fees, and cooperates with regulations, limitations, and conditions (Chapter 244). However, once a brothel gets its license and follows the rules, it cannot be planted just anywhere. A brothel cannot be operated within 400 yards of a house of wordship or school, otherwise a court can impose a fine of $400 or more. Additionally, a brothel building cannot front or have an entrance/exit that leads to a business street or thoroughfare (England). Okay, so what about STD’s? Well, prostitutes will not be employed if they test positive for gonorrhea, syphilis, Chlamydia trachomatis, or the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Once hired, a sex worker must be tested once a month for syphilis and HIV and once a week for gonorrhea and Chlamydia trachomatis. If tested positive, the worker must cease employment (“Adopted Regulation”). If an employee engages in prostitution after testing positive for HIV, the employee “may face imprisonment of not less than two years and not more than 10 years, a fine of not more than $10,000, or both” (England). In addition, sex workers must require every patron to wear latex or polyurethane prophylactic while engaging in sexual intercourse (“Adopted Regulation”). It is only under this reasonable list of regulations that a brothel can legally operate.
Illegal Prostitution in Nevada
If prostitution is considered legal, what would be considered illegal? Well, it is a misdemeanor to solicit (to offer sexual conduct for a fee) or engage in prostitution outside of a licensed brothel, and the punishment for doing so includes “a jail term for not more than six months, a fine of not more than $1,000, or both”, and community service can replace either the jail time or fine (England). Examples of solicitation may include a prostitute accosting to a potential customer on a street corner or posting an ad for prostitution online (“A Guide”). If the solicitor seeks out someone under the age of 18, the crime increases to a felony, in which he or she “may face confinement in a jail for not less than one year and not more than four years, a fine of not more than $5,000, or both” and will be designated a sexual offender (England). Pandering—or inducing, persuading, encouraging, enticing, or compelling another person to become or continue to work as a prostitute—is a felony in Nevada, and the penalties include “imprisonment for not less than one year and not more than four years, a fine of not more than $5,000, or both” (England). If the target of the panderer is under the age of 18, the panderer may face “imprisonment for not less than one year and not more than 10 years, the fine increases to not more than $10,000, and the defendant also may be required to register as a sex offender” (England). Furthermore, it is important to note the following instances. First, the intent to pander another to engage in prostitution qualifies as a crime, regardless of if the persuasion was successful. Second, these laws include pandering to someone to work as a legal prostitute in a licensed brothel. In other words, even if a brothel is licensed, it is against the law for the brothel to recruit sex workers (England).
Illegal Prostitution in Reno
Even with such laws, soliciting and pandering is quite common in the Reno area. Every day, sex trafficking, or “the act of forcing a woman into prostitution,” occurs on the streets and in hotels (Bellisle). Young girls are usually around 16-17 years old, but some are as young as 11. The common age to “enter the life” is around 14 years old. Many of the women that have been found in undercover prostitution investigations are 30 to 40-year-old drug addicts. Pimps use intimidation, threats, and violence to make women and girls work for them. Sometimes these methods of control include forcing a woman to perform while holding her children ransom, often at gunpoint. Pimps treat the women and girls like property by claiming them through “branding”—or tattooing—the pimp’s name, the name of the pimp’s group, or a number on their bodies. In 2013, a bill was passed by the Nevada legislature, signed into law by Governor Brian Sandoval in June, and put into effect on July 1st. This bill “made trafficking an adult a category B felony that carries a three-to-10-year sentence” and made “exploitation of a child a category A felony that carries a maximum life sentence. Parole eligibility for those cases depends on how young the victim is” (Bellisle).
The Mustang and Joe Conforte: Early Beginnings
Not all prostitution in the Reno area is illegal; a legal brothel in the area is the “World Famous” Mustang Ranch, located in Sparks about 19 minutes away from the Reno-Tahoe International Airport, to provide some perspective (“Directions”). It was first owned by Joe Conforte, or the man who would change brothel prostitution forever. In 1955, he came from Oakland, where he was a cab driver and sex broker, to Nevada so that he could explore Nevada’s loose prostitution laws. After having a hard time getting a brothel established in Reno, he established the Triangle River Ranch in Wadsworth, Storey County, Nevada. He and his soon to be wife Sally Conforte purchased three more brothels. Going against Washoe County’s anti-brothel position, Joe Conforte would show off his riches in Reno by strutting his “expensive suits, a full length fur coat, $18 Cuban cigars, and $4,000 hair transplant” and by passing out “$100 bills and brothel passes to card dealers and busboys” (Albert). Washoe County District Attorney William Raggio felt that Conforte was mocking the law, so he charged him with vagrancy whenever he came into Reno and convinced restaurants and gambling houses not to serve him. Conforte responded by threatening Raggio that he would tell the public that Raggio bought a 17-year-old girl alcoholic drinks and had sex with her (Albert). According to court records, “This threat was made in the office of Frank Petersen, the then attorney for appel lant [Joe Conforte]. The office had been wired for recording of conversations and this threat was recorded unbeknown at the time to appellant, and the recording thereof was played to the jury without objection” (“Joe CONFORTE”). So, Conforte served time for attempted extortion of a public official. Raggio then persuaded Storey County to close the Triangle River Ranch and burn it down, claiming that it was justified because the brothel was a public nuisance.
While Conforte was away, a man named Richard Bennet established the Mustang Bridge Ranch Brothel, now the Mustang Ranch Brothel, 12 miles from Reno on a ranch owned by two brothers—Jim and Joe Peri. When Conforte got out of jail after almost three years, he came out in a “‘comeback’ phase, involving a series of dubious events about which locals are unclear, including several mysterious fires” and the detonation of a bridge near the Mustang (Albert). These events drove Bennet out, who sold his brothel to Conforte for an undisclosed sum. In order to get politicians on Conforte’s side elected into county offices, Conforte added prostitution trailers in Lockwood where tenants could get rent cheap if they voted in elections the way Conforte wanted them to, making him a huge influence on the county (Albert). His brothel ended up paying 25% of the Storey County budget (Conrad and Mauskopf).
In 1970, Conforte suggested that the county pass the nation’s first liscensing ordinance such that the licensing fee would be so high that it would be fiscally impractical not to pass the ordinance. As he expected, Storey County officials embraced the idea, and prostitution became legal on January 1st, 1971. However, conflict with Raggio continued. As state senator, Raggio unsuccessfully attempted to ban brothels within 50 miles of big cities, which would have only banned Conforte’s brothel (Albert).
Murder at the Mustang
Around 1976, Joe Conforte befriended South American heavyweight boxer Oscar Bonavena. When Conforte brought him to the ranch, it was love at first sight for his wife Sally. Once Bonavena found out that all the brothel properties were in Sally’s name because of Joe’s legal trouble, it was “love at second sight” (Conrad and Mauskopf). The situation can be described as follows: “Sally was head over heels. She gave him a car, a new wardrobe and money to gamble, which he did without much luck. He lived in a trailer on the ranch during the construction of the new place in 1976. Bonavena amused Joe, who was glad to have him around. Oscar took Sally off Joe's back and gave him more free time. Joe was dedicated to sampling the wares of the Mustang's stable of girls. That took months of steady devotion” (Conrad and Mauskopf). Then, on the day of unveiling the newly renovated ranch, Bonavena asked a visitor, “How do you like my new joint?” while smoking one of Joe’s cigars. The visitor told Joe what happened, which greatly angered him as he realized that Oscar may have wanted to take the business from him. Joe ordered that Oscar and Sally leave the premises and told security guards that the two were not allowed to come back. A few days later when Sally came back to get some of her things, Oscar waited for her at the Mustang’s gate, and was shot by Conforte’s number two bodyguard, Ross Brymer (Conrad and Mauskopf). Furthermore, “Conforte claimed that Oscar had come to kill him. A pistol was found under the fighter's body, but Lloyd McNulty, chief of security at the ranch, later confessed that the gun had ‘accidentally’ slipped out of his belt when he bent over. Witnesses disappeared and, when tracked down, said they were afraid to testify or changed their testimony” (Conrad and Mauskopf). Virgil Bucchianeri, the Storey County DA, later admitted to the possibility that Conforte and Brymer planned the killing, but he wasn’t sure how to prove it to a jury. Additionally, “He didn't say why he never introduced the taped statement of a brothel employee who said Conforte had issued orders to kill Bonavena if he came to the Mustang” (Conrad and Mauskopf). Brymer ended up facing two years for voluntary manslaughter.
Tax Evasion and Bribery
A few years later, Joe and his wife Sally ran into trouble when they were convicted for evading taxes in 1974 and 1975 (“UNITED STATES”). They had owed $13 million (Conrad and Mauskopf). They “willfully failed to file employment tax returns, to withhold income taxes, or to pay employment taxes for certain employees who worked at the Mustang Ranch establishment. The employees in question were not prostitutes but were so-called auxiliary personnel such as maids, bartenders, security guards, and cashiers” (“UNITED STATES”). After being arrested for bribing a DA in nearby Lyon County, Conforte put up $200,000 in bail in March 1981 and also had posted a $40,000 bond for the tax evasion. He was “appealing his case after being sentenced to twenty years in prison. Then he blew his bond and his bail and fled to Brazil” (Conrad and Mauskopf). Things would not end so quickly for Conforte, however. The FBI and a U.S. district judge named Harry Claiborne had some conflict, and the FBI would do anything to get Claiborne off the bench. Conforte’s lawyer and the FBI planned for Conforte to testify that he was able to bribe Judge Claiborne with $30,000, which he would then say he gave to Claiborne at Claiborne’s apartment. Conforte would come back to the U.S. as a key witness, basically getting him off the hook for his sentencing, such that it was shortened to fifteen months (he ended up serving twelve). When the FBI went to the Judge’s apartment building to ask the superintendent for Claiborne’s room key (to apartment 312) to see how the rooms are laid out, the superintendent said he didn’t have that key, but had the key to room 212. The FBI gave Conforte a diagram of 212 to study so that Conforte could describe it at the hearing. Little did they know, 212’s layout was nothing like 312’s layout. The bribery charges were dropped, and that was that (Conrad and Mauskopf).
Mustang Ranch: Sold! To the Anonymous Investors in the Back
Because of Conforte’s tax evasion charges, the government took over the Mustang Ranch Brothel, planning to keep it operating and take in the revenue. However, three Storey County Commissioners voted against having prostitution at the brothel, so it was sold solely as property at an auction rather than sold as a brothel. The ranch was grabbed by a group of anonymous investors, who paid $1.49 million, even though it was worth $16.7 million at the time. When the IRS tried to sell Conforte’s three houses to make up for the rest of the $13 million that he owed, Conforte sued them, claiming that the money he owed was paid in full because of the value of the brothel when it was sold. The IRS has not said who the investors are, but did say that they were “represented by Victor Alan Perry, the brother of Peter A. Perry, who has been Conforte's attorney for ten years” (Conrad and Mauskopf).
Later, in 2003, the Bureau of Land Management received ownership of the Mustang Ranch and its property so that it could restore the land. The pink stucco buildings had to go, so they were listed on eBay for $145,000 and purchased by businessman Lance Gillman, who moved it 5 miles next to his Wild Horse Brothel (Struble). Gilman was elected Storey County commissioner in 2012 by a wide margin, making him the first brothel owner to be elected to public office. His success in business is not only accounted by his brothel ownership, but also by his business parks, a Harley-Davidson dealership, and master planned communities in California and Nevada (“Mustang Ranch”). He is also the principal and director of the Tahoe Reno Industrial Center, which is said to be the largest industrial park in the world. It includes Kal-Kan, Wal-Mart, Dell Computers, and Toys R Us. Additionally, he contributed to negotiations to add the Tesla Gigafactory to the park (Hagar).
From Relocation to Restoration
Upon receiving the Mustang ranch property, the BLM wanted to restore the River and the connecting parcels. While the buildings were still being removed, the BLM and Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe created a complex water rights transaction in 2003 that “transferred 461 acre-feet of water rights at Mustang Ranch from the United States government to the tribe” (Struble). In 2009, the BLM, the Bureau of Reclamation, The Nature Conservancy, and Washoe and Storey Counties came together in the restoration project. The flood channel was rechanneled so that flood water would drop its sediment load over much of the floodplain rather than ending up in Pyramid Lake. This process spread channels in such a way that riparian and wetland plants could thrive, and instream waters would be better for fish. The project also promoted healing of Willow and Cottonwood trees, the thriving vegetation, and prosperous fish populations. The shade, water, and fish bring in recreational activities such as fishing, picnicking, and camping to the area (Struble). I also found out from Austin Osborne, a staff member of the Human Resources Department in the Storey County Chamber of Commerce, that members of the public additionally enjoy hiking and rafting (Osborne). The process for getting the land as healthy as it is now was not easy. Issues included ensuring that invasive plant species couldn’t enter the river, that fuels from vehicles and equipment didn’t contaminate the water, that the rerouting of a petroleum pipeline was properly carried out, that ingoing and outgoing trucks could be visible to traffic on the Mustang road, that signage and temporary fencing for a recreational parking lot would follow regulations while causing no damage to the project, that fencing on the project would not become an obstacle for wild animals in need of a water source, and that cattle bones on part of the property would be removed (Storey County). Despite the challenges, the area is now a site for flourishing nature and the enjoyment of it, rather than a flood ditch overseen by a brothel. (Struble)
Where the Mustang Stands
Today, the Mustang seems to be a lot quieter than it used to be. I spoke to Storey County Sherriff Gerald Antinoro, who told me a little bit about troubles with the Mustang. He said that sometimes the Sheriff’s office gets calls about intoxicated persons causing a disturbance at the mustang, however he added that the Mustang’s security men typically take care of it. Additionally, he stated that sometimes violations on the Mustang’s side occur, but they usually get worked through easily. Interestingly, he mentioned that he couldn’t say much because the current owner Lance Gillman is suing him, adding in, “He thinks I’m picking on him” (Antinoro). Besides the suit, it seems that the Mustang’s issues have settled down.
Although Nevada is the only state to have legalized prostitution, making it an outcast, brothel promoters argue that legalizing prostitution is better than leaving it illegal for multiple reasons. First, legalization of prostitution “brings a level of public scrutiny, official regulation, and bureaucratization to brothels” that decrease the risk of violence (Brents and Hausback). To add, in Joe Conforte’s view, “You are not going to eliminate prostitution. Our only real choice in the matter is how we choose to deal with it: control or uncontrol. As long as the business is here, as long as we can’t eliminate it, why not organize it?” (Albert). It is argued that having some control is better than none, such as in places in America where prostitution is completely criminalized and pushed underground where violence and spread of disease is more easily facilitated. Second, criminalizing prostitution is critiqued for targeting the prostitutes rather than holding accountable the men who exploited them or abused them (Albert). Third, it is argued that prostitution is a business of providing care. According to Gilman, who uses the term “caregivers” for prostitutes, “The public has no idea, but so many of the men we deal with are damaged or widowed or in need of kindness. The industry is so much more about providing care and human nurturing than anything else" (“Mustang Ranch”). Perhaps it is the components of these three arguments that contribute to prostitution’s prosperity in Nevada.
I have to admit, I never thought I could learn so much about a single brothel. I find it amazing how many stories can be discovered; all one has to do is open the door to a hidden world.
\Works Cited
“Adopted Regulation of the State Board of Health: Legislative Counsil Bureau File No. R089-10”. NRS 441A.120. Effective October 15, 2010.
Albert, Alexa. Brothel: Mustang Ranch and its Women. The Random House Publishing Group, 2001.
Antinoro, Gerald. Personal interview. 12 Dec. 2016.
Bellisle, Martha. “Reno Officials Working to Stop Sex Trafficking. Reno-Gazette Journal, 21 Jul. 2013, http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/07/21/reno-sex-trafficking/2573603/. Accessed 16 Nov 2016.
Brents, Barbara G. and Kathryn Hausback. “Violence and Legalized Brothel Prostitution in Nevada.” Journal of Interpersonal Violence, vol. 20, no. 3, 2005, pp. 270-295. EBSCOhost, doi: 10.1177/0886260504270333. Accessed 28 Nov. 2016.
Chapter 244 – Counties: Government. Regulation, Taxation, and Licensing of Businesses and Occupations, NRS 244.345: Dancing halls, escort services, entertainment by referral services and gambling games or devices; limitation on licensing of houses of prostitution, http://www.leg.state.nv.us/nrs/NRS-244.html#NRS244Sec345. Accessed 28 Nov. 2016.
Conrad, H., and N. Mauskopf. "Sex and Taxes." Rolling Stone, Issue 602, 18 Apr.1991, pp. 85, 5p. EBSCOhost, http://web.b.ebscohost.com.unr.idm.oclc.org/ehost/detail/detail?sid=cc75a715-ff28-48ea-a338-e2ab2f970e8b%40sessionmgr101&vid=0&hid=116&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=aph&AN=9104081780. Accessed 28 Nov. 2016.
“Directions” World Famous Mustang Ranch, http://www.mustangranchbrothel.com/map.php?sid=071878bfe0e4cf8f01b9ebf2e70c4611. Accessed 29 Nov. 2016.
England, Deborah C. “Prostitution in Nevada: Laws and Penalties.” Criminal Defense Lawyer, http://www.criminaldefenselawyer.com/resources/prostitution-pimping-and-pandering-laws-nevada.htm. Accessed 16 Nov 2016.
“A Guide to Nevada’s ‘Prostitution and Solicitation’ Laws.” Las Vegas Defense Group, http://www.shouselaw.com/nevada/solicitation.html. Accessed 17 Nov. 2016.
Hagar, Ray. “Brothel Owner Helped Seal Nevada’s Tesla Deal.” Reno-Gazette Journal, 5 Sept. 2014, http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2014/09/04/mustang-ranch-gilman-tesla-gigafactory-nevada/15096853/. Accessed 28 Nov. 2016.
“Joe CONFORTE, Appellant, v. STATE of Nevada, Respondent.” Conforte v. State, 362 P. 2d 274 - Nev: Supreme Court. 2 Jun. 1961, https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=13676031081152204111&q=joe+conforte&hl=en&as_sdt=6,29. Accessed 28 Nov 2016.
“Mustang Ranch Brothel Owner Lance Gilman Enters Public Office Proud of Prostitution Business.” CBSNews, 19 Nov. 2012, http://www.cbsnews.com/news/mustang-ranch-brothel-owner-lance-gilman-enters-public-office-proud-of-prostitution-business/. Accessed 28 Nov. 2016.
Osborne, Austin. “Re: Mustang Ranch BLM Restoration.” Received by Nicole Rhead, 12 Dec. 2016.
Storey County Planning Commission Staff Report. Case No. 2009-039, Applicant: The Nature Conservancy, Request: Special Use Permit to ecologically restore a segment of the Truckee River, Address: Mustang Ranch. APN Number: 004-111-033 & 004-111-034, 9 Mar. 2009.
Struble, Mark. “History of the Mustang Ranch: From a Bothersome Brothel to a River Restored.” U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management, 14 Aug. 2012. https://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/info/history/sidebars/lands_and_realty/history_of_the_mustang.html. Accessed 28 Nov. 2016.
“UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Joseph CONFORTE and Sally Conforte, Defendants-Appellants.” United States v. Conforte, 624 F. 2d 869 - Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit. 29 Apr. 1980, https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=16768092481956662879&q=mustang+ranch&hl=en&as_sdt=6,29. Accessed 28 Nov. 2016.
Legal Prostitution in Nevada
Because Nevada is the only state in the United States where prostitution is legal, I felt that it was important to include information about the boundaries surrounding its legality. The legalization of prostitution is not a free-for-all law; there are restrictions. Legal prostitution can only take place in brothels under certain conditions. For example, “In a county whose population is 700,000 or more, the license board shall not grant any license to a petitioner for the purpose of operating a house of ill fame or repute or any other business employing any person for the purpose of prostitution” (Chapter 244). In counties where the population is below 700,000, prostitution is legal if and only if the petitioner, or brothel entrepreneur, has fulfilled the application process of getting a license from the county licensing board, pays licensing fees, and cooperates with regulations, limitations, and conditions (Chapter 244). However, once a brothel gets its license and follows the rules, it cannot be planted just anywhere. A brothel cannot be operated within 400 yards of a house of wordship or school, otherwise a court can impose a fine of $400 or more. Additionally, a brothel building cannot front or have an entrance/exit that leads to a business street or thoroughfare (England). Okay, so what about STD’s? Well, prostitutes will not be employed if they test positive for gonorrhea, syphilis, Chlamydia trachomatis, or the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Once hired, a sex worker must be tested once a month for syphilis and HIV and once a week for gonorrhea and Chlamydia trachomatis. If tested positive, the worker must cease employment (“Adopted Regulation”). If an employee engages in prostitution after testing positive for HIV, the employee “may face imprisonment of not less than two years and not more than 10 years, a fine of not more than $10,000, or both” (England). In addition, sex workers must require every patron to wear latex or polyurethane prophylactic while engaging in sexual intercourse (“Adopted Regulation”). It is only under this reasonable list of regulations that a brothel can legally operate.
Illegal Prostitution in Nevada
If prostitution is considered legal, what would be considered illegal? Well, it is a misdemeanor to solicit (to offer sexual conduct for a fee) or engage in prostitution outside of a licensed brothel, and the punishment for doing so includes “a jail term for not more than six months, a fine of not more than $1,000, or both”, and community service can replace either the jail time or fine (England). Examples of solicitation may include a prostitute accosting to a potential customer on a street corner or posting an ad for prostitution online (“A Guide”). If the solicitor seeks out someone under the age of 18, the crime increases to a felony, in which he or she “may face confinement in a jail for not less than one year and not more than four years, a fine of not more than $5,000, or both” and will be designated a sexual offender (England). Pandering—or inducing, persuading, encouraging, enticing, or compelling another person to become or continue to work as a prostitute—is a felony in Nevada, and the penalties include “imprisonment for not less than one year and not more than four years, a fine of not more than $5,000, or both” (England). If the target of the panderer is under the age of 18, the panderer may face “imprisonment for not less than one year and not more than 10 years, the fine increases to not more than $10,000, and the defendant also may be required to register as a sex offender” (England). Furthermore, it is important to note the following instances. First, the intent to pander another to engage in prostitution qualifies as a crime, regardless of if the persuasion was successful. Second, these laws include pandering to someone to work as a legal prostitute in a licensed brothel. In other words, even if a brothel is licensed, it is against the law for the brothel to recruit sex workers (England).
Illegal Prostitution in Reno
Even with such laws, soliciting and pandering is quite common in the Reno area. Every day, sex trafficking, or “the act of forcing a woman into prostitution,” occurs on the streets and in hotels (Bellisle). Young girls are usually around 16-17 years old, but some are as young as 11. The common age to “enter the life” is around 14 years old. Many of the women that have been found in undercover prostitution investigations are 30 to 40-year-old drug addicts. Pimps use intimidation, threats, and violence to make women and girls work for them. Sometimes these methods of control include forcing a woman to perform while holding her children ransom, often at gunpoint. Pimps treat the women and girls like property by claiming them through “branding”—or tattooing—the pimp’s name, the name of the pimp’s group, or a number on their bodies. In 2013, a bill was passed by the Nevada legislature, signed into law by Governor Brian Sandoval in June, and put into effect on July 1st. This bill “made trafficking an adult a category B felony that carries a three-to-10-year sentence” and made “exploitation of a child a category A felony that carries a maximum life sentence. Parole eligibility for those cases depends on how young the victim is” (Bellisle).
The Mustang and Joe Conforte: Early Beginnings
Not all prostitution in the Reno area is illegal; a legal brothel in the area is the “World Famous” Mustang Ranch, located in Sparks about 19 minutes away from the Reno-Tahoe International Airport, to provide some perspective (“Directions”). It was first owned by Joe Conforte, or the man who would change brothel prostitution forever. In 1955, he came from Oakland, where he was a cab driver and sex broker, to Nevada so that he could explore Nevada’s loose prostitution laws. After having a hard time getting a brothel established in Reno, he established the Triangle River Ranch in Wadsworth, Storey County, Nevada. He and his soon to be wife Sally Conforte purchased three more brothels. Going against Washoe County’s anti-brothel position, Joe Conforte would show off his riches in Reno by strutting his “expensive suits, a full length fur coat, $18 Cuban cigars, and $4,000 hair transplant” and by passing out “$100 bills and brothel passes to card dealers and busboys” (Albert). Washoe County District Attorney William Raggio felt that Conforte was mocking the law, so he charged him with vagrancy whenever he came into Reno and convinced restaurants and gambling houses not to serve him. Conforte responded by threatening Raggio that he would tell the public that Raggio bought a 17-year-old girl alcoholic drinks and had sex with her (Albert). According to court records, “This threat was made in the office of Frank Petersen, the then attorney for appel lant [Joe Conforte]. The office had been wired for recording of conversations and this threat was recorded unbeknown at the time to appellant, and the recording thereof was played to the jury without objection” (“Joe CONFORTE”). So, Conforte served time for attempted extortion of a public official. Raggio then persuaded Storey County to close the Triangle River Ranch and burn it down, claiming that it was justified because the brothel was a public nuisance.
While Conforte was away, a man named Richard Bennet established the Mustang Bridge Ranch Brothel, now the Mustang Ranch Brothel, 12 miles from Reno on a ranch owned by two brothers—Jim and Joe Peri. When Conforte got out of jail after almost three years, he came out in a “‘comeback’ phase, involving a series of dubious events about which locals are unclear, including several mysterious fires” and the detonation of a bridge near the Mustang (Albert). These events drove Bennet out, who sold his brothel to Conforte for an undisclosed sum. In order to get politicians on Conforte’s side elected into county offices, Conforte added prostitution trailers in Lockwood where tenants could get rent cheap if they voted in elections the way Conforte wanted them to, making him a huge influence on the county (Albert). His brothel ended up paying 25% of the Storey County budget (Conrad and Mauskopf).
In 1970, Conforte suggested that the county pass the nation’s first liscensing ordinance such that the licensing fee would be so high that it would be fiscally impractical not to pass the ordinance. As he expected, Storey County officials embraced the idea, and prostitution became legal on January 1st, 1971. However, conflict with Raggio continued. As state senator, Raggio unsuccessfully attempted to ban brothels within 50 miles of big cities, which would have only banned Conforte’s brothel (Albert).
Murder at the Mustang
Around 1976, Joe Conforte befriended South American heavyweight boxer Oscar Bonavena. When Conforte brought him to the ranch, it was love at first sight for his wife Sally. Once Bonavena found out that all the brothel properties were in Sally’s name because of Joe’s legal trouble, it was “love at second sight” (Conrad and Mauskopf). The situation can be described as follows: “Sally was head over heels. She gave him a car, a new wardrobe and money to gamble, which he did without much luck. He lived in a trailer on the ranch during the construction of the new place in 1976. Bonavena amused Joe, who was glad to have him around. Oscar took Sally off Joe's back and gave him more free time. Joe was dedicated to sampling the wares of the Mustang's stable of girls. That took months of steady devotion” (Conrad and Mauskopf). Then, on the day of unveiling the newly renovated ranch, Bonavena asked a visitor, “How do you like my new joint?” while smoking one of Joe’s cigars. The visitor told Joe what happened, which greatly angered him as he realized that Oscar may have wanted to take the business from him. Joe ordered that Oscar and Sally leave the premises and told security guards that the two were not allowed to come back. A few days later when Sally came back to get some of her things, Oscar waited for her at the Mustang’s gate, and was shot by Conforte’s number two bodyguard, Ross Brymer (Conrad and Mauskopf). Furthermore, “Conforte claimed that Oscar had come to kill him. A pistol was found under the fighter's body, but Lloyd McNulty, chief of security at the ranch, later confessed that the gun had ‘accidentally’ slipped out of his belt when he bent over. Witnesses disappeared and, when tracked down, said they were afraid to testify or changed their testimony” (Conrad and Mauskopf). Virgil Bucchianeri, the Storey County DA, later admitted to the possibility that Conforte and Brymer planned the killing, but he wasn’t sure how to prove it to a jury. Additionally, “He didn't say why he never introduced the taped statement of a brothel employee who said Conforte had issued orders to kill Bonavena if he came to the Mustang” (Conrad and Mauskopf). Brymer ended up facing two years for voluntary manslaughter.
Tax Evasion and Bribery
A few years later, Joe and his wife Sally ran into trouble when they were convicted for evading taxes in 1974 and 1975 (“UNITED STATES”). They had owed $13 million (Conrad and Mauskopf). They “willfully failed to file employment tax returns, to withhold income taxes, or to pay employment taxes for certain employees who worked at the Mustang Ranch establishment. The employees in question were not prostitutes but were so-called auxiliary personnel such as maids, bartenders, security guards, and cashiers” (“UNITED STATES”). After being arrested for bribing a DA in nearby Lyon County, Conforte put up $200,000 in bail in March 1981 and also had posted a $40,000 bond for the tax evasion. He was “appealing his case after being sentenced to twenty years in prison. Then he blew his bond and his bail and fled to Brazil” (Conrad and Mauskopf). Things would not end so quickly for Conforte, however. The FBI and a U.S. district judge named Harry Claiborne had some conflict, and the FBI would do anything to get Claiborne off the bench. Conforte’s lawyer and the FBI planned for Conforte to testify that he was able to bribe Judge Claiborne with $30,000, which he would then say he gave to Claiborne at Claiborne’s apartment. Conforte would come back to the U.S. as a key witness, basically getting him off the hook for his sentencing, such that it was shortened to fifteen months (he ended up serving twelve). When the FBI went to the Judge’s apartment building to ask the superintendent for Claiborne’s room key (to apartment 312) to see how the rooms are laid out, the superintendent said he didn’t have that key, but had the key to room 212. The FBI gave Conforte a diagram of 212 to study so that Conforte could describe it at the hearing. Little did they know, 212’s layout was nothing like 312’s layout. The bribery charges were dropped, and that was that (Conrad and Mauskopf).
Mustang Ranch: Sold! To the Anonymous Investors in the Back
Because of Conforte’s tax evasion charges, the government took over the Mustang Ranch Brothel, planning to keep it operating and take in the revenue. However, three Storey County Commissioners voted against having prostitution at the brothel, so it was sold solely as property at an auction rather than sold as a brothel. The ranch was grabbed by a group of anonymous investors, who paid $1.49 million, even though it was worth $16.7 million at the time. When the IRS tried to sell Conforte’s three houses to make up for the rest of the $13 million that he owed, Conforte sued them, claiming that the money he owed was paid in full because of the value of the brothel when it was sold. The IRS has not said who the investors are, but did say that they were “represented by Victor Alan Perry, the brother of Peter A. Perry, who has been Conforte's attorney for ten years” (Conrad and Mauskopf).
Later, in 2003, the Bureau of Land Management received ownership of the Mustang Ranch and its property so that it could restore the land. The pink stucco buildings had to go, so they were listed on eBay for $145,000 and purchased by businessman Lance Gillman, who moved it 5 miles next to his Wild Horse Brothel (Struble). Gilman was elected Storey County commissioner in 2012 by a wide margin, making him the first brothel owner to be elected to public office. His success in business is not only accounted by his brothel ownership, but also by his business parks, a Harley-Davidson dealership, and master planned communities in California and Nevada (“Mustang Ranch”). He is also the principal and director of the Tahoe Reno Industrial Center, which is said to be the largest industrial park in the world. It includes Kal-Kan, Wal-Mart, Dell Computers, and Toys R Us. Additionally, he contributed to negotiations to add the Tesla Gigafactory to the park (Hagar).
From Relocation to Restoration
Upon receiving the Mustang ranch property, the BLM wanted to restore the River and the connecting parcels. While the buildings were still being removed, the BLM and Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe created a complex water rights transaction in 2003 that “transferred 461 acre-feet of water rights at Mustang Ranch from the United States government to the tribe” (Struble). In 2009, the BLM, the Bureau of Reclamation, The Nature Conservancy, and Washoe and Storey Counties came together in the restoration project. The flood channel was rechanneled so that flood water would drop its sediment load over much of the floodplain rather than ending up in Pyramid Lake. This process spread channels in such a way that riparian and wetland plants could thrive, and instream waters would be better for fish. The project also promoted healing of Willow and Cottonwood trees, the thriving vegetation, and prosperous fish populations. The shade, water, and fish bring in recreational activities such as fishing, picnicking, and camping to the area (Struble). I also found out from Austin Osborne, a staff member of the Human Resources Department in the Storey County Chamber of Commerce, that members of the public additionally enjoy hiking and rafting (Osborne). The process for getting the land as healthy as it is now was not easy. Issues included ensuring that invasive plant species couldn’t enter the river, that fuels from vehicles and equipment didn’t contaminate the water, that the rerouting of a petroleum pipeline was properly carried out, that ingoing and outgoing trucks could be visible to traffic on the Mustang road, that signage and temporary fencing for a recreational parking lot would follow regulations while causing no damage to the project, that fencing on the project would not become an obstacle for wild animals in need of a water source, and that cattle bones on part of the property would be removed (Storey County). Despite the challenges, the area is now a site for flourishing nature and the enjoyment of it, rather than a flood ditch overseen by a brothel. (Struble)
Where the Mustang Stands
Today, the Mustang seems to be a lot quieter than it used to be. I spoke to Storey County Sherriff Gerald Antinoro, who told me a little bit about troubles with the Mustang. He said that sometimes the Sheriff’s office gets calls about intoxicated persons causing a disturbance at the mustang, however he added that the Mustang’s security men typically take care of it. Additionally, he stated that sometimes violations on the Mustang’s side occur, but they usually get worked through easily. Interestingly, he mentioned that he couldn’t say much because the current owner Lance Gillman is suing him, adding in, “He thinks I’m picking on him” (Antinoro). Besides the suit, it seems that the Mustang’s issues have settled down.
Although Nevada is the only state to have legalized prostitution, making it an outcast, brothel promoters argue that legalizing prostitution is better than leaving it illegal for multiple reasons. First, legalization of prostitution “brings a level of public scrutiny, official regulation, and bureaucratization to brothels” that decrease the risk of violence (Brents and Hausback). To add, in Joe Conforte’s view, “You are not going to eliminate prostitution. Our only real choice in the matter is how we choose to deal with it: control or uncontrol. As long as the business is here, as long as we can’t eliminate it, why not organize it?” (Albert). It is argued that having some control is better than none, such as in places in America where prostitution is completely criminalized and pushed underground where violence and spread of disease is more easily facilitated. Second, criminalizing prostitution is critiqued for targeting the prostitutes rather than holding accountable the men who exploited them or abused them (Albert). Third, it is argued that prostitution is a business of providing care. According to Gilman, who uses the term “caregivers” for prostitutes, “The public has no idea, but so many of the men we deal with are damaged or widowed or in need of kindness. The industry is so much more about providing care and human nurturing than anything else" (“Mustang Ranch”). Perhaps it is the components of these three arguments that contribute to prostitution’s prosperity in Nevada.
I have to admit, I never thought I could learn so much about a single brothel. I find it amazing how many stories can be discovered; all one has to do is open the door to a hidden world.
\Works Cited
“Adopted Regulation of the State Board of Health: Legislative Counsil Bureau File No. R089-10”. NRS 441A.120. Effective October 15, 2010.
Albert, Alexa. Brothel: Mustang Ranch and its Women. The Random House Publishing Group, 2001.
Antinoro, Gerald. Personal interview. 12 Dec. 2016.
Bellisle, Martha. “Reno Officials Working to Stop Sex Trafficking. Reno-Gazette Journal, 21 Jul. 2013, http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/07/21/reno-sex-trafficking/2573603/. Accessed 16 Nov 2016.
Brents, Barbara G. and Kathryn Hausback. “Violence and Legalized Brothel Prostitution in Nevada.” Journal of Interpersonal Violence, vol. 20, no. 3, 2005, pp. 270-295. EBSCOhost, doi: 10.1177/0886260504270333. Accessed 28 Nov. 2016.
Chapter 244 – Counties: Government. Regulation, Taxation, and Licensing of Businesses and Occupations, NRS 244.345: Dancing halls, escort services, entertainment by referral services and gambling games or devices; limitation on licensing of houses of prostitution, http://www.leg.state.nv.us/nrs/NRS-244.html#NRS244Sec345. Accessed 28 Nov. 2016.
Conrad, H., and N. Mauskopf. "Sex and Taxes." Rolling Stone, Issue 602, 18 Apr.1991, pp. 85, 5p. EBSCOhost, http://web.b.ebscohost.com.unr.idm.oclc.org/ehost/detail/detail?sid=cc75a715-ff28-48ea-a338-e2ab2f970e8b%40sessionmgr101&vid=0&hid=116&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=aph&AN=9104081780. Accessed 28 Nov. 2016.
“Directions” World Famous Mustang Ranch, http://www.mustangranchbrothel.com/map.php?sid=071878bfe0e4cf8f01b9ebf2e70c4611. Accessed 29 Nov. 2016.
England, Deborah C. “Prostitution in Nevada: Laws and Penalties.” Criminal Defense Lawyer, http://www.criminaldefenselawyer.com/resources/prostitution-pimping-and-pandering-laws-nevada.htm. Accessed 16 Nov 2016.
“A Guide to Nevada’s ‘Prostitution and Solicitation’ Laws.” Las Vegas Defense Group, http://www.shouselaw.com/nevada/solicitation.html. Accessed 17 Nov. 2016.
Hagar, Ray. “Brothel Owner Helped Seal Nevada’s Tesla Deal.” Reno-Gazette Journal, 5 Sept. 2014, http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2014/09/04/mustang-ranch-gilman-tesla-gigafactory-nevada/15096853/. Accessed 28 Nov. 2016.
“Joe CONFORTE, Appellant, v. STATE of Nevada, Respondent.” Conforte v. State, 362 P. 2d 274 - Nev: Supreme Court. 2 Jun. 1961, https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=13676031081152204111&q=joe+conforte&hl=en&as_sdt=6,29. Accessed 28 Nov 2016.
“Mustang Ranch Brothel Owner Lance Gilman Enters Public Office Proud of Prostitution Business.” CBSNews, 19 Nov. 2012, http://www.cbsnews.com/news/mustang-ranch-brothel-owner-lance-gilman-enters-public-office-proud-of-prostitution-business/. Accessed 28 Nov. 2016.
Osborne, Austin. “Re: Mustang Ranch BLM Restoration.” Received by Nicole Rhead, 12 Dec. 2016.
Storey County Planning Commission Staff Report. Case No. 2009-039, Applicant: The Nature Conservancy, Request: Special Use Permit to ecologically restore a segment of the Truckee River, Address: Mustang Ranch. APN Number: 004-111-033 & 004-111-034, 9 Mar. 2009.
Struble, Mark. “History of the Mustang Ranch: From a Bothersome Brothel to a River Restored.” U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management, 14 Aug. 2012. https://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/info/history/sidebars/lands_and_realty/history_of_the_mustang.html. Accessed 28 Nov. 2016.
“UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Joseph CONFORTE and Sally Conforte, Defendants-Appellants.” United States v. Conforte, 624 F. 2d 869 - Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit. 29 Apr. 1980, https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=16768092481956662879&q=mustang+ranch&hl=en&as_sdt=6,29. Accessed 28 Nov. 2016.