Judge drops most charges against man in Zumba case
Jan 25, 2013, 2:49 PM
Associated Press
ALFRED, Maine (AP) – A Maine judge has dropped most of the charges against a figure in a prostitution scandal centered on a Zumba studio in Kennebunk.
Justice Nancy Mills on Friday dismissed 46 of 59 misdemeanor counts against Mark Strong Sr., a day after the state’s highest court ruled the closed jury selection process had to be opened to the public.
Strong had pleaded not guilty to all the counts, including conspiring with dance instructor Alexis Wright. She is accused of using her studio as a prostitution front.
Most of the dropped charges relate to invasion of privacy of people prosecutors say were prostitution clients videotaped without their knowledge.
Strong has said he helped Wright launch her studio and had a physical relationship with her but was unaware of any prostitution.
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