Brothel owner’s public defender status questioned

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- A federal prosecutor has asked a judge to review whether the owner of a Nevada brothel who is charged with possessing and transporting child pornography meets the financial requirements to be represented by a federal public defender.

David Burgess, 55, who owns the Old Bridge Ranch, east of Reno, is charged with possession and interstate transportation of child pornography. Court records state that he faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted of both counts.

The Wyoming Highway Patrol arrested Burgess in July. According to a statement from the patrol, a trooper stopped a Freightliner motor home known as the "War Wagon" in which Burgess was a passenger. The patrol reported that the trooper made the stop just east of Evanston because the motor home was pulling a trailer with an expired registration tag.

According to the patrol statement, both the driver and Burgess were members of the Hells Angels motorcycle gang.

Both men told police they were traveling to the 2007 Hells Angels USA Run in Eureka Springs, Ark. Court records said officers found 14.9 grams of cocaine in the motor home.

Jim Anderson, assistant U.S. attorney, said in court last month that in addition to drugs, a search of a laptop computer found in the motor home determined it was "chock full" of child pornography.

A federal grand jury indicted Burgess in November on the child pornography charges and he was arrested in Nevada. A magistrate in Nevada appointed the federal public defender's office to represent him.

Burgess pleaded not guilty to both counts last month at a hearing before U.S. Magistrate William C. Beaman in Cheyenne.

Prosecutor Anderson had urged Beaman to jail Burgess pending his scheduled Feb. 4 trial. He said Burgess is a leader of the Nevada chapter of the Hells Angels motorcycle gang, has no ties to Wyoming and is operating a brothel.

"It's a legal occupation, but I would characterize it as an unsavory occupation," Anderson said of the brothel.

Beaman allowed Burgess to remain free pending trial.