At a Wednesday press conference, Nassau County District Attorney Denis Dillon announced the arrests of four people associated with a prostitution ring that has been operating out of a Plainview motel.

A 27-year-old Huntington Station resident, was charged with third degree promoting prostitution, a D felony punishable by up to seven years in prison. In addition, the district attorney's office is initiating a $1 million civil forfeiture suit against her.

Also arrested were a 44-year-old Elmont resident and a 34-year-old Brentwood resident, both of whom were working as prostitutes for Somri. A 32-year-old resident of the Plainview motel, was also arrested after motel authorities suggested that she too was engaged in prostitution. An investigation by the District Attorney's office revealed that the motel resident, was operating her own independent prostitution business out of the same motel. The above three were all charged with Prostitution, a B Misdemeanor punishable by up to 90 days in jail.

"Early this year, we received information that 'Exotic Princess,' a purported escort service that advertises for customers in Newsday and the Yellow Pages, was in fact a prostitution ring," said Dillon. "Our subsequent investigation found that since at least 1999 a Huntington Station woman has been renting rooms at the Rodeway Inn, located at 333 South Service Road in Plainview, and that the rooms are used by women whom Somri employs as prostitutes."

According to Dillon, "We also found an ad placed in Newsday for exotic dancers with the same phone number as the ads for 'Exotic Princess.' Three Nassau County undercover police officers answered the ad and they were all interviewed and hired as prostitutes. We commenced an investigation and through our undercover surveillance of activities at the Rodeway Inn, verified its use for prostitution by observing the comings and going of users of the enterprise."

The defendants were arraigned Wednesday in First District Court in Hempstead. The charges are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Dillon expressed gratitude at the press conference to the Suffolk County Police and Suffolk County District Attorney's Office for their help in referring the case to his office and in providing some assistance with surveillance. Authorities at the Rodeway Inn were also cooperative once they were made aware of the investigation.