Kirkland firefighter’s involvement in prostitution ring leads to arrest of alleged Crips gang member | UPDATED

A Kirkland firefighter became entangled with a prostitution ring in February that resulted in the arrest of an alleged member of the infamous Los Angeles Crips gang, according to a Kirkland Police Department investigation.

A Kirkland firefighter became entangled with a prostitution ring in February that resulted in the arrest of an alleged member of the infamous Los Angeles Crips gang, according to a Kirkland Police Department investigation. The Reporter obtained the documents through a public information request and is not naming the firefighter because he is considered a victim by investigators.

The firefighter first became involved after meeting up with a 19-year-old alleged prostitute in February, according to police documents. The woman, who is also considered a victim in the case, was referred to the firefighter by several other alleged prostitutes.

While the alleged prostitute was at the firefighter’s house in Kirkland, the woman stated she had a drug problem, according to a written statement by the firefighter. She said she had a child who was taken away from her at birth. The child was born two months premature and addicted to methamphetimine.

The investigators also concluded that the 19-year-old woman matched the description and cell phone number of a woman listed on Backpage.com.

The firefighter admitted to police that he slept in the same bed with the woman, but denied having any sexual relations. He claimed he tried to get her help for her drug use, the documents continue.

Several days later the woman’s Child Protective Services (CPS) worker showed up at the firefighter’s home. Shortly after, the alleged prostitute left in a blue vehicle driven by a black male.

A few minutes later the firefighter received a phone call on his cell from a man claiming he wanted his money and that the firefighter had stolen $600 from the woman’s purse, the documents continue. In later interviews with police, the alleged prostitute told police the man was her “boyfriend.”

In the written statement, the firefighter said the man also told him “I don’t give no [expletive] about no [expletive] police. I’ll burn your [expletive] house down!”

The CPS worker then received a phone call in which the same man told her “I know where you live, [expletive]! You better not be talking to my [expletive] without me.”

The man then threatened to kill the woman.

In a followup conversation with investigators, the firefighter admitted that he actually had discussed “sex and money” with the alleged prostitute. The two had discussed $600 for sex during text messages, though he claimed he never paid the prostitute and insisted he never slept with her. Cell phone records obtained from the firefighter’s phone reveal he had contacted eight separate numbers between February and March that were also on Backpage.com.

The firefighter was granted immunity from prosecution in exchange for his testimony in the case, according to a Kirkland Police Department spokesperson. A statement from Kirkland Fire Chief Kevin Nalder said once the department found out about the situation the firefighter was immediately placed on paid administrative leave pending an internal investigation. Currently a department’s investigation is in process.

Another alleged prostitute later told investigators that she had had sex with the firefighter in the past. She had told the 19-year-old woman not to go to his house in February because she and other prostitutes who had slept with him were “afraid of him” because he was “scary.”

In March, police conducted an undercover sting that resulted in the arrest of Dorond Alfred Bray, 39, of Los Angeles, for felony harassment and promoting prostitution. He was also believed to possess a stolen firearm. His blue BMW was identified as the same vehicle that pulled up in front of the firefighter’s house, though it is owned by his ex-girlfriend because he has no insurance, according to court documents.

Bray is a convicted felon for armed robbery and was sentenced to 15 years, the documents continue. Bray is also a convicted sex offender and was convicted in February in Pierce County for failing to register, according to court documents.

Bray allegedly admitted to police that he was the “middle man” in prostitution activities that included the 19-year-old woman, though he denied being a pimp. He also allegedly confessed to being in the BMW that drove up in front of the firefighter’s house in February. He claimed he was in the back and did not call the firefighter. Bray stated that he was innocent and called the investigator a racist during questioning.

In April, Bray was charged by King County prosecutors for burglary, domestic violence, promoting prostitution, felony harassment, and unlawful possession of a firearm. He eventually accepted a plea agreement with prosecutors and pleaded guilty to promoting prostitution in the second degree.

In addition to an 11-month sentence, he is forbidden to have contact with the alleged prostitutes for five years.

Before Bray was arrested, the CPS worker found herself unable to stay at her home out of fear for her life. She told police she slept at hotels, friends’ homes, and even at truck rest stops after she discovered a blue bandanna on the top of her car at her residence. Police informed her it is the same color used by the Crips, of which Bray is allegedly a member according to police documents.

She was transferred to an office in Snohomish County until May, according to her statement to police. According to the CPS worker she was also followed by the blue BMW onto the freeway. The BMW pulled up alongside her and the driver pointed at her with his hand in the shape of a gun and pretended to shoot her. She also received phone calls from a man telling her to “leave his [expletive] alone.”

Meanwhile, she also received phone calls from the 19-year-old alleged prostitute complaining about Bray being arrested.

“What do you have against this guy all he’s ever done is protect me,” she allegedly said to the CPS worker. “Now you are making my life really hard and in danger on the streets because others are going to think I snitched.”

She also allegedly said “Well, he wouldn’t do anything he is only to protect me and that’s all.”

The CPS worker told officers that during the conversation she could hear a male voice in the background telling her what to say.

The 19-year-old alleged prostitute got married in June, according to her new social worker.