Crime Statistics: Prostitution in Iron County.

I am doing a little investigation into the sex industry that Hurley is famous for. This post leads off from a few things that were discussed in last weeks show and below is a bit of interesting trivia that came up in my research.

As outlined in the article, The Notorious History of Iron County, I collected there a compilation of articles and photos of Hurley's history. I wondered to myself if prostitution had been "cleaned up" somewhat in Hurley since the days after Iron County Circuit Court Judge Alex Raineri was sent to federal prison for 3 years for promoting prostitution in 1980 and wanted to look at how cases are dealt with in recent times. I researched the Ironwood Daily Globe for every article I could find about prostitution busts in Iron and Gogebic County. Then I ran the names of the people arrested on prostitution related charges through WCCA.

The results were interesting. I couldn't find one single conviction on prostitution charges in Iron County since the current Judge, Judge Madden has been sitting on the bench. I was able to search from 1985-2008. Please send me details of any cases you think I have missed but, altogether, I found 8 people arrested in Iron County on prostitution related charges. The following is public record.

September 16, 1993

 Case DISMISSED. [Download WCCA case]

February 8, 2003

This case is SEALED in it's entirety by order of Judge Madden. It does not even tell you what she was charged with or what the outcome or decision of this case was on WCCA. It tells you nothing though the date of the sealed case matches the timeframe of the arrest in the paper. We recently made an official request for more details on this case and our request was denied.

See the article on SEALED RECORDS IN IRON COUNTY.

September 11, 2003

Case DISMISSED. [Download WCCA case file]

September 21, 2004

Case OPEN. [Download WCCA case file]

September 6, 2007

Case REDUCED to DISORDERLY CONDUCT. [Download WCCA case file]

November 11, 2007

3 Cases all reduced to DISORDERLY CONDUCT.

[Download WCCA case file Defendant #1]
[Download WCCA case file Defendant #2]
[Download WCCA case file Defendant #3]


This post is not a complaint about how prostitution is dealt with in the Wisconsin legal system. Prostitution is actually legal here in Scotland and in many places in Europe and I make no complaints or wish to express opinions on this either. This posts purpose is to merely point out some interesting facts about how Iron County deals with prostitution these days... and, well, it seems they deal with it like they have always done.

Essentially, it appears a blind eye is turned to the issue by the Iron County prosecution office or maybe in Hurley... prostitution isn't really considered a crime?

Harking back to the days of 1904 when Governor LaFollette's people went into Hurley and removed the Iron County Sheriff and Iron County District Attorney from their offices for neglect of duty. They of course also turned a blind eye to prostitution and gambling. At that time, there was 30 prostitution houses and 6 gambling dens thriving in Hurley.

It is interesting to note how other counties in Wisconsin deal with and view prostitution. Down in Janesville, Wisconsin for example, the Sheriff there believes lap dancing in the only strip club in Janesville qualifies as prostitution and they have been arresting people for it when there are complaints.

Janesville Gazette: Is lap dancing prostitution?

Indeed, just over the border in Michigan, prostitution related crime is taken very seriously and convictions have been secured in recent cases.

December 11, 2003

June 21, 1996

Some food for thought this election week.