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Guam - The Blue House Lounge case may be closed, but another prostitution case involving a man in blue has opened.   


Assistant Attorney General Chris Odoca announced, "This involves a police officer who using his appearance of authority while in uniform driving his patrol cruiser used that authority to victimize a member of our community. And he did this for his personal gain and his sexual gratification."    


And before a magistrate's judge earlier this afternoon, Odoca justified a $500,000 cash bail for Officer Paul John Santos.


It was last night Santos, who has worked as a Guam Police Department officer for the last eight years, was arrested and charged with first degree criminal sexual conduct and second degree criminal sexual conduct both as first degree felonies and official misconduct and abetting prostitution, both as misdemeanors.


"The people have, among other things, surveillance tapes that put the defendant at the scene of the crime and we also do have some admissions made by the defendant himself," Odoca continued. "On top of that, Your Honor, we're also concerned for the safety of the community."


According to the magistrate's complaint, it was on September 2nd the FBI received a complaint from a 31-year-old woman who alleged she was forced to have sex with Santos the day before at the Ypao Hotel in Tumon.


She told the FBI she had lost her job as a dancer at a local establishment, which prompted her to place advertisements for her services on the Internet.


One man who responded to her ad identified himself as "Frank Smith" and requested for an appointment on September 1st at 1:30 in the morning, but was instead scheduled to 2 a.m. because of a prior appointment.


Following her 1:30 appointment, the victim heard a knock on the door and the visitor identified himself as "Frank". When she opened the door, she observed the man was a police officer from the insignia on his sleeve. Assuming she was busted for prostitution, she broke out in tears. The man in uniform then took out his phone, showed the woman her ads on the Internet, and said "Do you know if I take you to jail right now you'll never go home and see your family." Court documents state the woman cried even harder as she observed the officer look around the room before he said "we'll work something out."


The woman alleges Santos forced her to perform oral sex and then raped her. After intercourse, Santos allegedly took down her cell phone number and told  her "I can keep you safe as long as you stay on my good side."


Following the complaint, investigators with the AG's Office reviewed the hotel's surveillance tapes which place Santos at the scene, in his uniform, driving a police cruiser, on the night of September 1. According to Santos' supervisor, Santos was not involved in any investigations at the Hotel Ypao because it was outside his assigned patrol area.


Initially Santos denied such allegations but later claimed he was "working on a prostitution sting."  He also admitted to having sex with the woman but did not pay for it .


Attorney Jeffrey Moots, who represents Santos, requested the court lower the bail amount to no more than $30,000 but was denied.


"There is no actual physical evidence or proof of any type of force or injury, so the allegations of anything but consensual sex is going to be difficult which means their likelihood of convictions is likely on misdemeanors'. The complaint is basically a prostitute making claims against a police officer. There's no actual threats of violence or anything," he asserted.


Santos' next court appearance is slated for September 26.


Of note is that "Frank Smith" is also the name of a police officer who was killed by a drunk driver while on duty several years ago. The Tumon-Tamuning Precinct was renamed in his honor. During today's hearing Assistant  AG Odoca accused Santos of besmirching the name of the fallen officer.


During a press conference this morning at the Attorney General's Office, Police Chief Fred Bordallo said that he will cooperate fully with the investigation. "It also sends a message to the men and women of the Guam Police Department all our sworn officers that they have a trust to hold the badges they have as a law enforcement officer - they are held to higher standards they should have the honesty and comply with the law and they are not above the law. We fully support any effort to make sure that justice is done for the victim," he said.


Officer Santos was picked up by law enforcement authorities as he was getting off a flight from the Philippines at the Guam International Airport.