ktlight
30th January 2012, 10:02
92sZWM-u2ZA
"On a recent afternoon, a Peacemaker had at least one of its eight cameras trained on Ouaknine's one-story establishment.
"They say I am running a whorehouse," said the 60-year-old innkeeper. "I run a motel. The only thing that I don't have is the five stars."
Police wouldn't say why they parked the Peacemaker last week in an abandoned lot directly across Ouaknine's Parisian Motel in the 500 block of Northwest 23rd Avenue.
Police and city records show Ouaknine and her motel had been the subject of an undercover operation targeting prostitution starting in September. Ouaknine was arrested on Oct. 28 on three counts of renting rooms to prostitutes for $20 an hour. Her case is pending.
The city's nuisance abatement board sent her a warning letter and summoned her to appear for a hearing in February based on the investigation. It's the second time since 2008 that the board has targeted the motel, city records show.
She says she's doing nothing illegal.
"They've tried everything to shut me down and have failed," she said. "Now they bring this truck to intimidate me and my customers."
Some neighbors surrounding the Parisian Motel say the truck is another form of constant police harassment.
On a recent afternoon, Leo Cooper watched as two undercover street-crime officers jumped out of an unmarked Ford Crown Victoria just yards from the Peacemaker. They began questioning a group of men gathered at the corner. Within minutes, one of the men ran away. A second man was charged with loitering.
"This is what happens here every day. We can't sit outside without being harassed," said Cooper, 27. "Now we have that truck. Most of us are not doing anything wrong. We can't be outside?""
"On a recent afternoon, a Peacemaker had at least one of its eight cameras trained on Ouaknine's one-story establishment.
"They say I am running a whorehouse," said the 60-year-old innkeeper. "I run a motel. The only thing that I don't have is the five stars."
Police wouldn't say why they parked the Peacemaker last week in an abandoned lot directly across Ouaknine's Parisian Motel in the 500 block of Northwest 23rd Avenue.
Police and city records show Ouaknine and her motel had been the subject of an undercover operation targeting prostitution starting in September. Ouaknine was arrested on Oct. 28 on three counts of renting rooms to prostitutes for $20 an hour. Her case is pending.
The city's nuisance abatement board sent her a warning letter and summoned her to appear for a hearing in February based on the investigation. It's the second time since 2008 that the board has targeted the motel, city records show.
She says she's doing nothing illegal.
"They've tried everything to shut me down and have failed," she said. "Now they bring this truck to intimidate me and my customers."
Some neighbors surrounding the Parisian Motel say the truck is another form of constant police harassment.
On a recent afternoon, Leo Cooper watched as two undercover street-crime officers jumped out of an unmarked Ford Crown Victoria just yards from the Peacemaker. They began questioning a group of men gathered at the corner. Within minutes, one of the men ran away. A second man was charged with loitering.
"This is what happens here every day. We can't sit outside without being harassed," said Cooper, 27. "Now we have that truck. Most of us are not doing anything wrong. We can't be outside?""