An 18-year-old Minneapolis woman pleaded guilty Wednesday in District Court to prostitution and claimed a New Ulm bar owner had asked for a rebate on “tricks”‘ he set up.

Stephanie Ann Awaijane was charged with soliciting a state crime bureau agent to engage in sexual intercourse for $40 early Wednesday.

The entire proceeding, from arrest to guilty plea, took about 16 hours. The defendant waived her right to a preliminary hearing in county court.

Court officials said this was the first prostitution charge brought in Brown County in at least 12 years, as far as they could remember. The charge, brought under state law, is a gross misdemeanor, with a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a $1,000 fine.

THE DEFENDANT testified the agent had propositioned her at Beyers Steak House, 121 S. Valley, where she was dancing. She said he asked her how much and what she wanted to do and she told him $30 but he gave her $40.

Miss Awaijane, short and olive-skinned with frizzy black hair and a pretty smile, said she had never danced professionally before. A friend in Minneapolis, ‘Angel,’ who dances for a living, got the job for her, she said.

Angel called her up Sunday night and asked if she wanted to go dancing, that her dancing agent needed two girls right away.

“I DIDN’T know it would be nude dancing until the day before,” the defendant said.

Angel showed the defendant and her 16-year-old roommate a series of five dances, “and you’re supposed to be taking it all off,”the defendant said.

“She told us about prostitution, and that he allows it, that there was this private club downstairs,” Miss Awaijane said.”She told us we didn’t have to do any tricks, it was up to us, we were just there to dance.”

Angel told Miss Awaijane she was to pay the dancing agent $30for the week’s booking but no share of any money earned by prostitution, the defendant said. She said Angel told her they could make about five tricks a night with the lowest charge $20.

THE ROOMMATES took a bus to New Ulm and arrived about 9 p.m. Tuesday. Miss Awaijane said they were met at the bus stop by the part owner of Beyers, (in testimony she called him “Les”) who took them to Beyers and showed them their room.

Beyer’s was sold last December to Les E. Arens of Minneapolis and Dale Van Nurden of Kimball. The City Council okayed a liquor license in Arens’ name at that time. The license is to run to June 30.

Arens could not be reached this morning for comment.

They started dancing as soon as they arrived. Miss Awaijane said she went upstairs to her room to engage in prostitution about 10:30 p.m. with a man who had introduced himself to her. She said three or four other men asked her to go upstairs during the evening.

“Angel told us while the other girl is down dancing you can go upstairs and do a quickie,” she said.

She said the 16-year-old went upstairs earlier too but chickened out and didn’t do anything. The 16-year-old is tall and slender with short light-brown hair.

AFTER THE girls were done dancing, about 1 a.m., two men were waiting for them at the bar and made them an offer. The men then went upstairs to the girls’ sleeping room and the girls stayed at the bar to talk to Les, she testified.

“He started telling us if he was to set up any tricks for us he would want a rebate on it – money. He told us we could have them up there until 2 o’clock and if we wanted to come down during the day and meet some men and go upstairs we could do that too,” Miss Awaijane said.

The girls then went upstairs to their room where the two men were waiting. After the girls had disrobed and got their money the two men, both agents of the state crime bureau, arrested them.

THE DEFENDANT was released by the judge on her promise to come back to court when asked, and on condition of good behavior and that she stay with the mother of her room-mate.

William O’Connor, assistant county attorney, objected to the release, saying he was very concerned that the defendant might run away from Minneapolis and he would be left with a “very serious evidentiary problem.”

“I’m concerned that there are people in the cities who gain monetarily from sending young girls to New Ulm to engage in prostitution,” O’Connor said. “This will get back to them that this girl has pled guilty and is ready to testify further. I’m concerned she may run for reasons of safety.

PATRICK MORIARTY, assistant public defender, asked the judge to give Miss Awaijane “the same break as anyone else.” He said in almost every instance of District Court crimes the person is released on personal recognizance. He noted she had cooperated with the court.

MORIARTY TOLD the court a plea bargain had been agreed on by prosecution and defense that if Miss Awaijane made a complete statement and was available to testify against any other persons consistent with that statement the prosecution would recommend the court stay imposition of sentence.

Judge Noah Rosenbloom ordered a pre-sentence investigation.

A prostitution charge also was filed against the 16-year-old in Juvenile Court and the case was transferred to Hennepin County. Police said investigation of the case is continuing.

Mayor Carl Wyczawski said he was to meet this morning with the police chief, city attorney, assistant county attorney and council president to discuss what should be done. He said his personal recommendation is that the liquor license be suspended until renewal time. The council has the power for such action, he said.

New Ulm Daily Journal

May 1, 1975