April 30--Two former Pittsburgh police detectives accused of helping to run a prostitution ring avoided jail time by reaching plea deals on Monday.
Talib "Kevin" Ghafoor, 56, of East Liberty pleaded no contest to one count of participating in a corrupt organization. Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Donna Jo McDaniel sentenced Ghafoor to nine months of house arrest and three years of probation.
In exchange for the plea, prosecutors withdrew charges of promoting prostitution, conspiracy and possession of instruments of crime.
Ghafoor declined comment after the hearing.
His former partner, Faquar "Terry" Holland, 40, of Charleroi pleaded guilty to one count of promoting prostitution. McDaniel sentenced him to one year of probation. Prosecutors withdrew nine charges.
Moon police arrested Ghafoor in March 2011 during an undercover bust at the Courtyard Marriott in Moon.
Police set up a meeting with a woman identified in an online sex ad as "Sally." The woman, Sabina Sailer, 44, of Venice, Fla., told police the man who drove her to the hotel was waiting outside. She said he was her fiance and a former Pittsburgh officer, police said. Officers arrested Ghafoor in the parking lot.
Police arrested Holland in June when a search showed his phone number and credit card were used in connection with online sex ads.
Sailer pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of prostitution. Common Pleas Judge Joseph K. Williams sentenced her to 18 months of probation.
Holland and Ghafoor worked as partners in the city's East End and as narcotics detectives. They won back-to-back Officer of the Year awards -- Ghafoor in 1999 and Holland in 2000.
Holland resigned in November 2007 when he was charged with forgery and unsworn falsification to authorities. Police said he forged a letter from his landlord in an attempt to get a loan from the police department's Prudential retirement savings plan. He pleaded guilty to the forgery charge and was sentenced to probation.
Ghafoor resigned in March 2008.
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