Boston-Area Pimp Charged with Murdering a Rival Pimp in the Bronx in Dispute Related to Criminal Prostitution Business

Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; George Venizelos, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and Raymond W. Kelly, the Police Commissioner of the City of New York (NYPD), announced that Samuel L. Whiteside was presented today in Manhattan federal court on charges that he traveled interstate to Whiteside murder to further his prostitution business. Whiteside was arrested in Rockford, Illinois, on June 14, 2013, and initially presented in the Northern District of Illinois. He arrived in the Southern District of New York yesterday and was presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Debra Freeman.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said, “As alleged, Samuel Whiteside traveled to New York with the cold-blooded intent to murder a rival in the unlawful prostitution business. Thanks to the efforts of our law enforcement partners, he will now face justice in the Southern District of New York.”

FBI Assistant Director in Charge George Venizelos said, “As alleged, a business dispute between two men ended with one brutally murdering the other. Given that the business in question was the exploitation of women and trading them like livestock, it is not surprising that a dispute would be resolved by violence. While not surprising, it is intolerable.”

NYPD Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly said, “I commend the detectives of the NYPD’s Bronx Homicide squad and their counterparts in the 47th Precinct for helping return this pimp to face federal prosecution for murder.”

According to the allegations in the complaint filed in Manhattan federal court:

During the course of the evening of June 4, 2012, and early morning hours of June 5, 2012, Whiteside, a Boston-area pimp, had an argument over the telephone with Victor Martino (the victim). The victim, who at the time was staying at the Metro Motel in the Bronx, New York, was also a pimp, and the argument between Whiteside and the victim related to their respective prostitution businesses.

Specifically, Whiteside and the victim had a dispute about a woman who had worked for Whiteside as a prostitute. Whiteside believed that the victim owed Whiteside money related to that woman, who had been traded and sold between Whiteside and the victim. During a telephone conversation that evening, the victim told Whiteside that Whiteside could settle the dispute in person and provided Whiteside with the address of the Metro Motel.

During the course of that evening, Whiteside traveled from New England to the Metro Motel. When he arrived, Whiteside went to the motel room where the victim was staying and attacked and stabbed the victim with a knife, killing him.

* * *

Whiteside, 30, of Dorchester, Massachusetts, is charged with one count of traveling interstate to commit murder to further his prostitution business. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Mr. Bharara praised the investigative work of the FBI and NYPD and stated that the investigation is ongoing.

This case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Violent Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Kan M. Nawaday is in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.