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Bellerose man charged in sex-travel promotion

By Michael Morton

A Dutchess County grand jury indicted the two co-owners of Big Apple Oriental Tours, Norman Barabash, 58, of 249-12 Belmont Ave. in Bellerose and Douglas Allen, 59, of Poughkeepsie. They face up to seven years in prison if convicted, Spitzer said.

“These defendants claimed to be operating a traditional travel agency,” Spitzer said. “It is far from that. It is alleged that their action led to the systematic exploitation and suppression of young women, and that is simply unacceptable.”

The defendants pleaded not guilty in Dutchess County court, and the next hearing was scheduled for Friday.

Barabash could not be reached for comment, and his lawyer, Daniel Hochheiser, did not return a call seeking comment. Hochheiser has told the TimesLedger in the past that his client had not engaged in any illegal activity and that Spitzer had been pressured by a human rights organization to pursue the case.

Spitzer said when the agency's clients arrived in Thailand or the Philippines, tour guides who worked for the company led customers to bars and negotiated fees with bar mangers, known locally as mama-sans, to hire prostitutes for specific sexual acts. Trips cost about $2,500 and ranged in length from seven to 10 days, Spitzer said.

Big Apple came to the attention of Spitzer's office after being contacted by Equality Now, a Manhattan-based human rights organization focused on women's issues.

“We feel sex tourism is a human rights violation and contributes to the trafficking of persons,” said Antonia Kirkland, a spokeswoman for the group.

Kirkland said the case against Big Apple is the first prosecution against a suspected sex tourism company in the United States. While the law has not changed, she said the Bush administration has focused on stopping human trafficking.

“There's more of a political will to do something about the issue,” she said.

Equality Now launched a campaign in 1996 urging prosecution of sex tourism agencies in the United States and sent one of its consultants undercover to gather evidence against Big Apple. The evidence was turned over to Queens District Attorney Richard Brown, but his office dropped the case in 1999 for lack of evidence.

After that decision, National Organization of Women founder Gloria Steinem and U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-Astoria) held a news conference with Equality Now calling for the prosecution of Big Apple.

Equality Now then contacted Spitzer's office in 2002, and the attorney general initiated an investigation by the Statewide Organized Crime Task Force.

In August 2003, Spitzer's office filed a civil suit in the State Supreme Court in Dutchess County seeking an injunction to prohibit the tour group from operating. A temporary restraining order was issued against Big Apple, forcing it to stop advertising its business.

A spokesman for Spitzer's office said the restraining order was recently extended and remains in effect, but the civil lawsuit has been stayed pending the outcome of the criminal case.

Reach reporter Michael Morton by e-mail at [email protected] or by calling 718-229-0300, Ext. 154.