A quiet Mountain View cul-de-sac turned into a crime scene after police raided a townhouse on Morning Sun Court, arrested a 50-year-old man on suspicion of pimping, and shut down what investigators say was an illicit brothel operating out of the home. The takedown followed months of surveillance and an undercover sting where an officer posed as a customer, officials said. The suspect was arraigned in early April and is scheduled to return to court for a plea hearing on May 20.
Investigation and search warrant
According to Mountain View Voice, the investigation kicked off in mid-December, when detectives flagged unusual foot traffic in and out of the Morning Sun Court townhouse. Detective Joseph Rivera reported seeing more than two dozen men enter the residence over the course of several weeks, behavior that raised enough eyebrows for police to open a formal probe.
On March 24, a Santa Clara County judge approved a search warrant for the home. When officers moved in to serve it on Tuesday, they said they forced open the front door after hearing footsteps inside. During the sweep, detectives found two women in upstairs bedrooms.
Undercover sting and arrest
Investigators say the case was bolstered by an undercover operation on Jan. 29, when a detective went into the townhouse posing as a customer. The officer negotiated a price and paid one of the women with marked bills, according to the police report.
The man who answered the door told investigators he had been living and working at the townhouse for about a month and that he was, in his words, opening the door for customers who came for the ladies. Detectives arrested the 50-year-old on suspicion of pimping and pandering…