

View Larger Map Two people waited as lookouts at the Knollwood Gardens apartments while a 17-year-old prostitute serviced a resident in his apartment, police allege.

Two 17-year-old girls and two alleged clients have been arrested for engaging in prostitution, Middletown police say.

Also arrested was 20-year-old Richard Burges, of Thousand Oaks Drive, who was charged with acting as the girls’ pimp.

Here’s the press release issued Tuesday morning:

On April 19, 2010 police responded to a suspicious incident at the Knollwood Gardens Apartment complex located in Middletown. Ptl. Adam Colfer responded to the apartment complex and located Richard Burges, age 20, from Thousand Oaks Drive in Middletown, and a 17 year old female also from Middletown, in the parking lot. The subjects advised the officer that they were waiting for a friend. Ptl. Colfer cleared from the scene only to receive another call a short time later. Police continued their investigation and determined that Burges and the female were actually waiting for another 17 year old Middletown female who was inside one of the apartments working as a prostitute.

Detectives Pete White and Kelly Godley then joined the investigation. Over the next week detectives determined that Burges had negotiated a price, arranged for and transported the girl to the apartment in order to provide sex to one of its occupants. Burges and the other 17 year old female were actually acting as look outs when the police had initially responded to the area. The detectives continued their investigation and on April 26, 2010 charged Sajeet Singh and a subject named Deepak, both from Knollwood Drive in Middletown, with two counts each of engaging in prostitution with a person under the age of 18. The two subjects are employees at the BP gas station in Middletown where they met Berges and arranged the deal.

Further investigation by the detectives resulted in both 17 year old females being charged as well. One of the females was charged with Prostitution, Possession of Methadone and Possession of Zanax. The other female was charged with Prostitution, Possession of Methadone, Possession of Zanax and Promoting Prostitution. Detectives discovered that both females had engaged in prostitution at the apartment in recent weeks. The one juvenile was additionally charged with Promoting Prostitution for assisting in the transportation of the other juvenile and then serving as a lookout while she engaged in prostitution. Both subjects were released to their parents.

Burges was charged with Promoting Prostitution and was transported to the Monmouth County Correctional Facility in Freehold on a $5,000.00 with 10% bail.

Police are asking anyone with further information to contact Detectives White or Godley at (732) 615-2120. The detectives were also assisted by Ptl. Michael Reuter and Sgt. Paul Bailey.