BY TIM WILLERT twillert@opubco.com
A man accused of running a prostitution and pandering enterprise that laundered money through a local carpet cleaning business pleaded guilty Wednesday to a racketeering charge and was sentenced to 10 years in prison and 10 years of probation.
Germaine Coulter, 39, of Oklahoma City, admitted running an escort service in 2006 and using the profits to invest in businesses.
He entered his plea in front of Oklahoma County District Judge Donald L. Deason.
Coulter also pleaded guilty in a separate case to possession of methamphetamine, oxycodone and marijuana as part of a plea deal with prosecutors.
He faced up to life in prison if convicted of the charges at trial.
Prosecutors alleged that beginning in 2006 Coulter made $240,000 a month running the organization and used the money to buy homes, land and cars.
He also invested in several businesses, including one called Family CarpetCare, to hide the organization's activities, they said.
A dozen vehicles belonging to Coulter, including two vans that contained commercial carpet cleaning equipment, were auctioned off last month along with two plots of land.
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