Ex-Detective to Face Jury Trial on Prostitution Charges

A former Pittsburgh narcotics detective will face a jury trial on charges that he operated a Moon prostitution ring.

Talib Kevin Ghafoor, 55, of East Liberty, today waived his right to a preliminary hearing in Coraopolis District Court.  charged him in June with organizing the ring and purchasing online advertisements for prostitutes.

Ghafoor's defense attorney, Frank Walker, said his client decided to waive the hearing after negotiations with the prosecution. 

"It was in the best interest of my client," Walker said. "We are looking forward to appearing before a jury." 

Ghafoor declined to comment, but he stood alongside Walker as the attorney addressed media representatives after the hearing.

"I believe that when you fight, you fight hard," Walker said. Walker said Ghafoor, a former Pittsburgh Police Officer of the Year, will plead not guilty to the charges.

In June, Moon Police charged Ghafoor with two counts of third-degree felony promoting prostitution, two counts of felony conspiracy, four counts of felony corrupt organization and two counts of possessing instruments of crime.

Police  and other materials in April from Ghafoor's former home in East Liberty. Moon Police Chief Leo McCarthy said the materials indicated that Ghafoor was running a prostitution ring.

This is the second round of  the former detective faces in Moon. In March, Moon Police  him with driving his fiance, Sabina Earlene Sailer, 47, to the in Moon to have sex for money with an undercover police officer. 

Ghafoor appeared with Sailer today in court.

He was charged with three counts of felony prostitution and criminal conspiracy as well as one count of misdemeanor possessing instruments of crime following the March sting. 

Sailer is charged with three counts of felony prostitution and criminal conspiracy and one count of misdemeanor prostitution following the March sting.

Pre-trial conferences for both Ghafoor and Sailer are scheduled for Sept. 2 in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas in connection to the March incident. 

Walker said Ghafoor would also plead not guilty to the first set of charges.

Ghafoor resigned from the Pittsburgh Police Department in 2008 after more than 20 years with the department. He left the department while being investigated for giving contradictory testimony in a homicide investigation. He was not charged with wrongdoing in connection with the incident.

Ghafoor's former police partner, , 39, of Charleroi, also has been charged in connection the the alleged prostitution ring. He waived a preliminary hearing on the charges in June and will face a formal arraignment Aug. 12 in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas.

The incidents are apart of an of Moon prostitution arrests following

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