Convictions, Sentence Upheld for Jody ‘Babydol’ Gibson

Metropolitan News-Enterprise

Monday, July 2, 2001

Page 1

Convictions, Sentence Upheld for Jody ‘Babydol’ Gibson

By a MetNews Staff Writer

The solicitation and pimping convictions and three-year sentence for Jody ‘Babydol’ Gibson was upheld Friday by this district’s Court of Appeal, just days before the madam’s sentencing hearing in federal court on tax evasion charges.

Gibson, 43, was convicted in April 2000 after three prostitutes testified that they had sex with clients arranged by Gibson, and that Gibson received 40 percent of the take.

She was arrested at a June 1999 meeting with someone she thought was a Middle Eastern businessman who offered to pay $30,000 each for prostitutes to be flown to Kuwait to help close a business deal. The businessman turned out to be LAPD Det. Razmig Kertenian.

Writing on assignment for Div. Three, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Larry Fidler detailed the story of undercover officers posing as prospective prostitutes and clients of Gibson’s agency, known as California Dreamin’.

In discussing an encounter between prostitute Lianne Doversola and Kertenian at the Century Plaza Hotel, Fidler noted that Doversola “had the detective remove all of his clothes”—-and added, in a footnote, that “Kertenian had been given permission by LAPD to do this.”

As for the contentions on appeal, Fidler criticized prosecutors for “careless pleading” in failing to include in the information the portion of the Penal Code dealing with solicitation. Still, the judge said, solicitation was brought up at the end of the preliminary hearing, and that was sufficient to give Gibson notice of that charge against her.

He also rejected assertions that the three-year sentence was cruel and unusual, given the fact that prostitutes get much shorter sentences.

“[T]he record reveals [Gibson] to be a sophisticated, experienced madam, with a business that reaches across the United States and was attempting to expand internationally,” Filder said. “Her illegal and high-priced business affected many people. In addition, she was not above making threats to ensure she received her share of the proceeds of the prostitution enterprise she conducted. [Gibson’s] sentence is not grossly disproportionate to her culpability.”

Gibson is due to be sentenced in U.S. District Court today on tax evasion charges for failure to report her income from California Dreamin’, and could receive up to 30 years.

The case is People v. Gibson, B141781.