Doping agency: Armstrong led cheating scheme

By Mike Brunker and Bill Dedman NBC News Stefano Rellandini / Reuters file U.S. Postal Service Team rider Lance Armstrong of the United States, the first six-time winner of the Tour de France cycling classic, waves in 2004 as he cycles past a U.S. flag during the rider's parade on the Champs-Élysées in Paris. Updated 3:45 p.m. ET: The document of evidence has been released. Read it here from NBC News in a PDF file. American cyclist Lance Armstrong's career was "fueled from start to finish by doping," according to a detailed report of evidence against the seven-time Tour de France winner released Wednesday by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. The release of the report came hours after the agency issued a statement alleging that Armstrong participated in "the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen."  In what it called a "Reasoned Decision" that it intends to share with worldwide cycling authorities, the USADA said that Armstrong was not merely a participant in what it called "a fraudulent course of conduct that extended over a decade," but a leader of the cheating scheme.  It describes USPS team members testifying to widespread use during the Tour de France of the human growth factor known as EPO, as well as testosterone and a human blood product known as Actovegin. The report says Armstrong's teammates testified under oath to him giving them the drugs, plotting how to evade drug tests, and finally trying to intimidate teammates from testifying against him. Armstrong has repeatedly denied the allegations, blasting the process as "an unconstitutional witch hunt," and cycling authorities who backed Armstrong's legal fight to block the case have said they want to see the material before deciding whether to appeal the U.S. agency's sanctions to the world Court of Arbitration for Sport. The New York Times reported that Armstrong's legal team tried to preemptively discredit the report in a letter sent Tuesday to the antidoping agency's lawyer, Bill Bock. Timothy J. Herman, one of Armstrong's lawyers, called the case a farce. "USADA, the prosecutor, now pretends to issue its own 'reasoned decision,' even though there was no judge, no jury and no hearing," Herman said in the letter. The Times said Armstrong, through his spokesman, said he would not comment on the report. But the USADA report described the evidence that Armstrong engaged in doping dating back to his first Tour de France victory in 1999 as "overwhelming," stating:  "Five of the eight riders on the 1999 Tour de France team other than Armstrong, i.e., George Hincapie, Frankie Andreu, Tyler Hamilton, Jonathan Vaughters, Christian Vande Velde, all have first hand evidence of Armstrong's violations of sport antidoping rules, and all have admitted their own rule violations in 1999.  Several other witnesses, including Emma O'Reilly and Betsy Andreu, also have first hand evidence of Armstrong's involvement in doping in 1999.    "Finally, although additional corroboration is not necessary given the testimony of USADA's witnesses, as described in Section V.B. below, the retesting of Lance Armstrong's samples from the 1999 Tour and the clear finding of EPO in six of the samples provides  powerful corroborating evidence of Armstrong's use of EPO.  With or without this corroborating evidence, however, the evidence demonstrates beyond any doubt that Lance Armstrong used EPO during the 1999 Tour de France.  No other conclusion is even plausible." Follow Open Channel from NBC News on Twitter and Facebook. Referring to a public statement from Armstrong that the team set a goal to repeatedly win the Tour de France, the agency said, "The path he chose to pursue that goal ran far outside the rules. His goal led him to depend on EPO, testosterone and blood transfusions but also, more ruthlessly, to expect and to require that his teammates would likewise use drugs to support his goals if not their own. The evidence is overwhelming that Lance Armstrong did not just use performance enhancing drugs, he supplied them to his teammates. ... It was not enough that his teammates give maximum effort on the bike, he also required that they adhere to the doping program outlined for them or be replaced." The report describes how the agency says Armstrong allegedly avoided testing positive for drugs. First, it said, he had fewer than 60 tests, not the 500 to 600 his lawyers have claimed. Second, the riders tried to use undetectable drugs and methods of taking the drugs. And sometimes they just hid from inspectors: "The most conventional way that the U.S. Postal riders beat what little out of competition testing there was, was to simply use their wits to avoid the testers.  Tyler Hamilton summarized:  "We also had another time honored strategy for beating the testing – we hid.  At the time, the whereabouts programs of drug testing agencies were not very robust, the UCI did not even have an out of competition testing program.  If a tester did show up, you typically would not get a missed test even if you decided not to  answer the door.  In any case, there was no penalty until you had missed three  tests.  So, avoiding testing was just one more way we gamed the system. "The first rule of EPO use was to inject intravenously, the second rule was to use the drug in the evening and the third rule "was to always try to hide from testers and . . . try not to get tested." The riders were advised to not answer the door if a tester came after they had used.  "If a rider became aware that another had recently used drugs and learned that the drug  testers were around they would warn their teammate.  An example of this was when George Hincapie was aware that Lance Armstrong had recently used testosterone and (George) Hincapie learned  that testers were at the hotel. Hincapie texted Armstrong who dropped out of the race to avoid beingtested.  "Also, the team staff was good at being able to predict when riders would be tested and seemed to have inside information about the testing.  "USADA has also learned that at least in the second quarter of 2010 Lance Armstrong was providing untimely and incomplete whereabouts information to USADA, thereby making it more difficult to locate him for out of competition testing." The USADA's report "is in excess of 1,000 pages, and includes sworn testimony from 26 people, including 15 riders with knowledge of the US Postal Service Team (USPS Team) and its participants' doping activities," the agency said in a news release earlier in the day.  "The evidence also includes direct documentary evidence including financial payments, emails, scientific data and laboratory test results that further prove the use, possession and distribution of performance enhancing drugs by Lance Armstrong and confirm the disappointing truth about the deceptive activities of the USPS Team, a team that received tens of millions of American taxpayer dollars in funding," the agency said. Teammates of Armstrong's who offered evidence included Frankie Andreu, Michael Barry, Tom Danielson, Tyler Hamilton, George Hincapie, Floyd Landis, Levi Leipheimer, Stephen Swart, Christian Vande Velde, Jonathan Vaughters and David Zabriskie, the agency said. The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency in August ordered that Armstrong's many cycling titles from his 14-year career be erased and banned him from cycling for life because of the doping allegations. The agency is required to submit its evidence to the International Cycling Union. The CEO of the anti-doping agency, Travis T. Tygart, issued this statement: Today, we are sending the 'Reasoned Decision' in the Lance Armstrong case and supporting information to the Union Cycliste International (UCI), the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), and the World Triathlon Corporation (WTC). The evidence shows beyond any doubt that the US Postal Service Pro Cycling Team ran the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen. The evidence of the US Postal Service Pro Cycling Team-run scheme is overwhelming and is in excess of 1000 pages, and includes sworn testimony from 26 people, including 15 riders with knowledge of the US Postal Service Team (USPS Team) and its participants' doping activities. The evidence also includes direct documentary evidence including financial payments, emails, scientific data and laboratory test results that further prove the use, possession and distribution of performance enhancing drugs by Lance Armstrong and confirm the disappointing truth about the deceptive activities of the USPS Team, a team that received tens of millions of American taxpayer dollars in funding. Together these different categories of eyewitness, documentary, first-hand, scientific, direct and circumstantial evidence reveal conclusive and undeniable proof that brings to the light of day for the first time this systemic, sustained and highly professionalized team-run doping conspiracy. All of the material will be made available later this afternoon on the USADA website at www.usada.org. The USPS Team doping conspiracy was professionally designed to groom and pressure athletes to use dangerous drugs, to evade detection, to ensure its secrecy and ultimately gain an unfair competitive advantage through superior doping practices. A program organized by individuals who thought they were above the rules and who still play a major and active role in sport today. The evidence demonstrates that the 'Code of Silence' of performance enhancing drug use in the sport of cycling has been shattered, but there is more to do.  From day one, we always hoped this investigation would bring to a close this troubling chapter in cycling's history and we hope the sport will use this tragedy to prevent it from ever happening again. Of course, no one wants to be chained to the past forever, and I would call on the UCI to act on its own recent suggestion for a meaningful Truth and Reconciliation program.  While we appreciate the arguments that weigh in favor of and against such a program, we believe that allowing individuals like the riders mentioned today to come forward and acknowledge the truth about their past doping may be the only way to truly dismantle the remaining system that allowed this "EPO and Blood Doping Era" to flourish. Hopefully, the sport can unshackle itself from the past, and once and for all continue to move forward to a better future. Our mission is to protect clean athletes by preserving the integrity of competition not only for today's athletes but also the athletes of tomorrow.  We have heard from many athletes who have faced an unfair dilemma — dope, or don't compete at the highest levels of the sport. Many of them abandoned their dreams and left sport because they refused to endanger their health and participate in doping. That is a tragic choice no athlete should have to make. It took tremendous courage for the riders on the USPS Team and others to come forward and speak truthfully. It is not easy to admit your mistakes and accept your punishment. But that is what these riders have done for the good of the sport, and for the young riders who hope to one day reach their dreams without using dangerous drugs or methods. These eleven (11) teammates of Lance Armstrong, in alphabetical order, are Frankie Andreu, Michael Barry, Tom Danielson, Tyler Hamilton, George Hincapie, Floyd Landis, Levi Leipheimer, Stephen Swart, Christian Vande Velde, Jonathan Vaughters and David Zabriskie. The riders who participated in the USPS Team doping conspiracy and truthfully assisted have been courageous in making the choice to stop perpetuating the sporting fraud, and they have suffered greatly. In addition to the public revelations, the active riders have been suspended and disqualified appropriately in line with the rules. In some part, it would have been easier for them if it all would just go away; however, they love the sport, and they want to help young athletes have hope that they are not put in the position they were -- to face the reality that in order to climb to the heights of their sport they had to sink to the depths of dangerous cheating. I have personally talked with and heard these athletes' stories and firmly believe that, collectively, these athletes, if forgiven and embraced, have a chance to leave a legacy far greater for the good of the sport than anything they ever did on a bike. Lance Armstrong was given the same opportunity to come forward and be part of the solution. He rejected it.  Instead he exercised his legal right not to contest the evidence and knowingly accepted the imposition of a ban from recognized competition for life and disqualification of his competitive results from 1998 forward. The entire factual and legal basis on the outcome in his case and the other six active riders' cases will be provided in the materials made available online later today. Two other members of the USPS Team, Dr. Michele Ferrari and Dr. Garcia del Moral, also received lifetime bans for perpetrating this doping conspiracy. Three other members of the USPS Team have chosen to contest the charges and take their cases to arbitration: Johan Bruyneel, the team director; Dr. Pedro Celaya, a team doctor; and Jose "Pepe" Marti, the team trainer.  These three individuals will receive a full hearing before independent judges, where they will have the opportunity to present and confront the evidence, cross-examine witnesses and testify under oath in a public proceeding.  From day one in this case, as in every potential case, the USADA Board of Directors and professional staff did the job we are mandated to do for clean athletes and the integrity of sport.  We focused solely on finding the truth without being influenced by celebrity or non-celebrity, threats, personal attacks or political pressure because that is what clean athletes deserve and demand. Lisa Myers of NBC News contributed to this report. The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency stripped Lance Armstrong of his seven Tour de France victories because Armstrong refused to defend himself against charges that he used performance-enhancing drugs to win. NBC's Anne Thompson reports.

Doping agency claims proof of cheating by cyclist Armstrong

Steve Ruark / AP Lance Armstrong, who has been banned from competitive cycling, competes in the Rev3 Half Full Triathalon on Sunday, Oct. 7, in Ellicott City, Md. Armstrong joined other cancer survivors in the charity ride. By Lisa Myers NBC News American cyclist Lance Armstrong was part of "the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen," the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency said Wednesday in advance of issuing its long-awaited report detailing the evidence it amassed against the seven-time Tour de France champion. In a news release announcing the evidence behind its decision, which it will send to other bodies that oversee the sport of cycling, the USADA said that Armstrong was part of an orchestrated cheating campaign run by the US Postal Service Pro Cycling Team. It said that evidence of the scheme "is overwhelming," and includes "sworn testimony from 23 people, including 12 former members of the US Postal Service Team (U.S.P.S. Team) with knowledge of the USPS Team's doping activities, and Lance Armstrong's use, possession and distribution of dangerous performance-enhancing drugs in violation of sport rules." It also includes "direct documentary evidence, including financial payments, emails, scientific data and laboratory test results that further prove doping by Lance Armstrong and confirm the disappointing truth about the deceptive activities of the USPS Team, a team that received tens of millions of American taxpayer dollars in funding," the agency said. Follow Open Channel from NBC News on Twitter and Facebook. The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency in August ordered that Armstrong's many cycling titles from his 14-year career be erased and banned him from cycling for life because of the doping allegations. The agency is required to submit its evidence to the International Cycling Union. Armstrong has repeatedly denied the allegations, and cycling authorities who backed Armstrong's legal fight to block the case have said they want to see the material before deciding whether to appeal the U.S. agency's sanctions to the world Court of Arbitration for Sport. The New York Times reported that Armstrong's legal team tried to preemptively discredit the report in a letter sent Tuesday to the antidoping agency's lawyer, Bill Bock. Timothy J. Herman, one of Armstrong's lawyers, called the case a farce. "USADA, the prosecutor, now pretends to issue its own 'reasoned decision,' even though there was no judge, no jury and no hearing," Herman said in the letter. The Times said Armstrong, through his spokesman, said he would not comment on the report. Background on the anti-doping agency's process is contained in an earlier explainer from the Associated Press.

Hearing on Libya attack

Top State Department officials will appear before the House Oversight Committee The Sept. 11 attack killed the U.S. ambassador to Libya and three other Americans Republicans argue President Obama's policies caused vulnerability to such an attack The administration changed description of event from a protest gone awry to a terror attack Washington (CNN) -- A congressional hearing on Wednesday loaded with political implications will examine the terrorist attack in Libya that killed U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans on the anniversary of 9/11. The Republican-led House Oversight Committee scheduled the hearing even though Congress is on leave until after next month's election. GOP challenger Mitt Romney has made the Libya attack a focus of his criticism of President Barack Obama's foreign policy. With polls showing more people favor Obama over Romney on foreign policy, the former Massachusetts governor seeks to gain ground by arguing the president has made America less influential and more vulnerable around the world. The assault in Benghazi, Libya, occurred 11 years to the day after the September 11, 2001, attacks on New York's World Trade Center and the Pentagon. After initially blaming the violence on a protest over an anti-Islam film produced in America, the Obama administration conceded it was a terrorist attack. At Wednesday's hearing, Under Secretary of State for Management Patrick Kennedy will provide the first direct rebuttal of allegations by Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa, R-California, and others that the State Department denied requests for additional security in Libya. Others scheduled to testify include Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Programs Charlene Lamb; Regional Security Officer Eric Nordstrom, who was stationed in Libya before the attacks; and Lt. Col. Andrew Wood, a Utah National Guardsman who was leading a security team in Libya until August. Issa's committee had asked Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to take part, and she sent Kennedy and Lamb to appear. Democrats accuse Issa of planning a partisan hearing, a similar allegation leveled against the panel for its past investigations of the botched "Fast and Furious" gun-running program and the failed Solyndra clean energy company that received about $500 million in government loan guarantees. On Tuesday, two senior State Department officials provided reporters with the most detailed explanation yet of the attack in Benghazi, telling a conference call that there was no prior indication such an assault was imminent. The officials, who briefed reporters on condition of not being identified by name, said there was "nothing unusual" throughout the day of the attack. Stevens held an evening meeting with a Turkish diplomat and then retired to his room in one of the compound's buildings at 9 p.m., according to the officials. The first sign of a problem came 40 minutes later when diplomatic security agents heard loud talking outside the compound, along with gunfire and explosions. Asked whether the attack was a spontaneous assault taking advantage of a demonstration, as originally asserted by Obama administration officials, one senior official said, "That was not our conclusion." The two senior officials offered riveting detail of the attack by what one of them described as "dozens of armed men" who marauded from building to building in the enormous complex and later fired mortars on a U.S. annex less than a mile away. In the havoc at the compound, which had four buildings, Stevens and two of his security personnel took refuge in a fortified room that the attackers were able to penetrate, one official said. The attackers doused the building with diesel fuel and set it ablaze, and the three men decided to leave the safe haven and move to a bathroom to be able to breathe, according to the official. Stevens became separated from the security personnel in the chaos and smoke, and eventually turned up at a Benghazi hospital, where he was declared dead. Hospital personnel found his cell phone in his pocket and began calling numbers, which is how U.S. officials learned where he was, the State Department officials said. The officials echoed what administration officials have maintained since the attack: that U.S. and Libyan security personnel in Benghazi were outmanned and that no reasonable security presence could have fended off the assault. "The lethality and the number of armed people is unprecedented," one official said. "There had been no attacks like that anywhere in Libya -- Tripoli, Benghazi or anywhere -- in the time that we had been there. And so it is unprecedented, in fact, it would be very, very hard to find precedent for an attack like (it) in recent diplomatic history." CNN's Jill Dougherty, Elise Labott and Tom Cohen contributed to this report.

Florida woman fends off attack from 'Mystery Monkey'

By Andrew Mach, NBC News A woman who fended off an attack by a celebrity simian known as the 'Mystery Monkey of Tampa Bay' was recovering from her injuries on Wednesday as authorities searched for the wild animal, Florida wildlife officials said.  The woman, who said she didn't want her name to be released, was reportedly sitting on her front porch on Monday when the monkey jumped on her back and began scratching and gnawing on her skin.  She reached behind, grabbed the monkey's leg and tossed him in to the bushes before he ran off, Gary Morse, a spokesman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission told the Tampa Bay Times. "She could hear the clicking of teeth," the woman's daughter told the newspaper, who said she was inside cooking when she heard her mother scream.  The woman suffered several puncture wounds and scratches and was taken to the hospital, where doctors gave her shots to prevent infections. Stay informed with the latest headlines; sign up for our newsletter The monkey, which has gained notoriety in recent years after numerous sightings throughout the area, is a 40-pound wild rhesus macaque, which officials believe may have been cast out of a colony in Silver Springs near Ocala, Fla. Officials in the area were attempting to track and trap the monkey Wednesday morning. Morse said they will try to trap the monkey alive, but given the attack it's possible that trappers will have to kill it, he said. Residents say the monkey has never been aggressive until now, the Times reported. Officials said in the past year, the monkey has settled quietly into the area where residents have given him food despite warnings from authorities about coming into contact with the animal. Watch the most-viewed videos on NBCNews.com  "The public was warned about the dangers of feeding this animal," Morse told the Times. "It is a shame that it has come to this. Human kindness and food cannot overcome millions of years of genetic evolution." The monkey has become something of a celebrity, the Tampa Bay Times reported. A Facebook page for the mystery monkey has been featured on Comedy Central's "Colbert Report" and in a National Geographic special. Officials are asking anyone who sees the monkey to stay away and call police immediately. More content from NBCNews.com: Suicide is epidemic for American Indian youth: What more can be done? San Francisco sheriff reinstated despite domestic abuse conviction Video: Rape victim: I was 'shocked' at computer subpoena Lawyer defends release of names of alleged Boy Scout molesters Found in suitcase at LAX: Smoke grenade, hatchet, body bags, leg irons 'Warmest year' looking more likely for 2012 across continental US Follow US news from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook

Prostitution arrests rock Maine tourist town

KENNEBUNK, Maine — This upscale southern Maine town is known for its ocean beaches, old sea captains' mansions and the neighboring town of Kennebunkport, home to the Bush family summer compound. Only on NBCNews.com Doping agency claims proof of cheating by cyclist Armstrong Updated 74 minutes ago 10/10/2012 4:50:57 PM +00:00 High court hears biggest race case in six years Updated 57 minutes ago 10/10/2012 5:08:10 PM +00:00 Tunisian magazine teaches kids how to build a Molotov cocktail Biden and Ryan face debate pressures Suicide is epidemic for American Indian youth Updated 28 minutes ago 10/10/2012 5:36:48 PM +00:00 Vodka marketed by a veteran, for veterans Teen blogger shot by Taliban 'critical' after surgery But the talk of the town these days is the arrest of a local fitness instructor who's been charged with running a prostitution business out of her Zumba dance studio and secretly videotaping her encounters. Now the town is on the edge of its seat, waiting for the revelation of which of their friends and neighbors are among her more than 100 alleged johns. "There's still some of that puritanical New England left around," said Will Bradford, who owns a copy shop in town. "There are places in the world that would laugh at this." Alexis Wright, 29, was dressed conservatively in a jacket, blouse and slacks as she pleaded not guilty Tuesday in Portland to 106 counts of prostitution, violation of privacy, tax evasion and other charges for allegedly providing sex for money at her fitness studio and a nearby one-room office she rented. The man police say was her business partner, 57-year-old Mark Strong Sr., pleaded not guilty to 59 counts of promotion of prostitution and violation of privacy. Prosecutors haven't detailed why Wright would have been videotaping her encounters. But they gathered more than 100 hours of video and nearly 14,000 screen shots from seized computers, Deputy District Attorney Justina McGettigan said. "The state's in over its head. This case isn't ready for prosecution," Daniel Lilly, Strong's lawyer, said at the hearing. Wright's lawyer, Sarah Churchill, has declined to comment, and the defendants did not speak as they left the hearing. Wright, who lives in the nearby community of Wells and is the single mother of a young son, and Strong are free on personal recognizance. Waiting for the summons Police have begun issuing summons to Wright's customers and will release the names in the weeks ahead. Townspeople say they've heard that lawyers, doctors, law enforcement officials, a television personality and other well-known people in town are included in a detailed clientele list police found. A lot of people would rather not see the names made public because it will hurt families, children and careers, said Dan Breton, the owner of a convenience store and deli. "I think most of my customers were shocked this was going on," Breton said. "But any time something like that happens, people get curious. It's almost like the newspapers are teasing us that there are prominent names on the list. But maybe it'll be nothing." The superintendent of schools issued a memo to teachers and staff last week, instructing them to be on the lookout for students who have relatives on the list of names and may be teased or have trouble coping. Wright opened her Pura Vida fitness studio teaching Zumba, a Latin-inspired fitness program that combines aerobics and dance, in 2010 about a block from the downtown business district in this town of about 10,000 people 25 miles south of Portland, the state's largest city. She later rented a one-room office across the street, above a hair salon and a flower store. That same year, an anonymous blog appeared accusing Wright of not being the sweet, friendly Zumba instructor she portrayed herself to be. "She's living a double life and is a porn star. She may be a prostitute for all I know," the first blog entry reads. Police began investigating after hearing reports of cars coming to the studio and the office at all hours of the day and night and men going in for a half-hour or hour at a time, according to a police affidavit released when Strong, of Thomaston, was arrested in July. The landlord who rented the office space to Wright told investigators one of his tenants sometimes heard "moaning and groaning" coming from Wright's office, the affidavit says. When the landlord checked the office himself, he found a massage table and a video camera set up on a tripod. He told police he later found an online porn video of Wright that was recorded in the office, which he recognized by the walls, the floor and the window. $150,000 in business When police raided the studio and office in February, they seized electronic ledgers of sexual acts, video recordings and records of clients and the sexual acts performed by Wright, according to the affidavit. Judging by what they found, police said, Wright's sexual activities generated as much as $150,000. Investigators said there was both a "business and personal" connection between Strong and the activity at the studio. Video footage showed Wright and Strong having sex, according to the affidavit. Bee Nguyen, who rented the studio space to Wright and Strong, said Tuesday he often saw cars pulling up to the back of the studio and men going in but didn't think anything of it. "She had a boyfriend," said Nguyen, adding that Wright and Strong owe him about $10,000 in back rent. It wasn't clear whether Wright still has custody of her son; the agency that oversees child welfare says it can't comment. It wouldn't be surprising to hear of a prostitution operation with clients coming and going day and night in a big city, residents say — but not in Kennebunk, a tourist town with traditional white-steeple churches, tree-lined streets and quaint bed-and-breakfasts. "Still, the fact that it's happening in Kennebunk shows we're not above it all," Greg Patterson said while getting a haircut at a downtown barber shop. Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Prostitution arrests rock Maine tourist town

KENNEBUNKPORT, Maine — This upscale southern Maine town is known for its ocean beaches, old sea captains' mansions and the neighboring town of Kennebunkport, home to the Bush family summer compound. But the talk of the town these days is the arrest of a local fitness instructor who's been charged with running a prostitution business out of her Zumba dance studio and secretly videotaping her encounters. Now the town is on the edge of its seat, waiting for the revelation of which of their friends and neighbors are among her more than 100 alleged johns. "There's still some of that puritanical New England left around," said Will Bradford, who owns a copy shop in town. "There are places in the world that would laugh at this." Alexis Wright, 29, was dressed conservatively in a jacket, blouse and slacks as she pleaded not guilty Tuesday in Portland to 106 counts of prostitution, violation of privacy, tax evasion and other charges for allegedly providing sex for money at her fitness studio and a nearby one-room office she rented. The man police say was her business partner, 57-year-old Mark Strong Sr., pleaded not guilty to 59 counts of promotion of prostitution and violation of privacy. Prosecutors haven't detailed why Wright would have been videotaping her encounters. But they gathered more than 100 hours of video and nearly 14,000 screen shots from seized computers, Deputy District Attorney Justina McGettigan said. "The state's in over its head. This case isn't ready for prosecution," Daniel Lilly, Strong's lawyer, said at the hearing. Wright's lawyer, Sarah Churchill, has declined to comment, and the defendants did not speak as they left the hearing. Wright, who lives in the nearby community of Wells and is the single mother of a young son, and Strong are free on personal recognizance. Waiting for the summons Police have begun issuing summons to Wright's customers and will release the names in the weeks ahead. Townspeople say they've heard that lawyers, doctors, law enforcement officials, a television personality and other well-known people in town are included in a detailed clientele list police found. A lot of people would rather not see the names made public because it will hurt families, children and careers, said Dan Breton, the owner of a convenience store and deli. "I think most of my customers were shocked this was going on," Breton said. "But any time something like that happens, people get curious. It's almost like the newspapers are teasing us that there are prominent names on the list. But maybe it'll be nothing." The superintendent of schools issued a memo to teachers and staff last week, instructing them to be on the lookout for students who have relatives on the list of names and may be teased or have trouble coping. Wright opened her Pura Vida fitness studio teaching Zumba, a Latin-inspired fitness program that combines aerobics and dance, in 2010 about a block from the downtown business district in this town of about 10,000 people 25 miles south of Portland, the state's largest city. She later rented a one-room office across the street, above a hair salon and a flower store. That same year, an anonymous blog appeared accusing Wright of not being the sweet, friendly Zumba instructor she portrayed herself to be. "She's living a double life and is a porn star. She may be a prostitute for all I know," the first blog entry reads. Police began investigating after hearing reports of cars coming to the studio and the office at all hours of the day and night and men going in for a half-hour or hour at a time, according to a police affidavit released when Strong, of Thomaston, was arrested in July. The landlord who rented the office space to Wright told investigators one of his tenants sometimes heard "moaning and groaning" coming from Wright's office, the affidavit says. When the landlord checked the office himself, he found a massage table and a video camera set up on a tripod. He told police he later found an online porn video of Wright that was recorded in the office, which he recognized by the walls, the floor and the window. $150,000 in business When police raided the studio and office in February, they seized electronic ledgers of sexual acts, video recordings and records of clients and the sexual acts performed by Wright, according to the affidavit. Judging by what they found, police said, Wright's sexual activities generated as much as $150,000. Investigators said there was both a "business and personal" connection between Strong and the activity at the studio. Video footage showed Wright and Strong having sex, according to the affidavit. Bee Nguyen, who rented the studio space to Wright and Strong, said Tuesday he often saw cars pulling up to the back of the studio and men going in but didn't think anything of it. "She had a boyfriend," said Nguyen, adding that Wright and Strong owe him about $10,000 in back rent. It wasn't clear whether Wright still has custody of her son; the agency that oversees child welfare says it can't comment. It wouldn't be surprising to hear of a prostitution operation with clients coming and going day and night in a big city, residents say — but not in Kennebunk, a tourist town with traditional white-steeple churches, tree-lined streets and quaint bed-and-breakfasts. "Still, the fact that it's happening in Kennebunk shows we're not above it all," Greg Patterson said while getting a haircut at a downtown barber shop. Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

1 Pussy Riot band member freed

Yekaterina Samutsevich sits in a car outside a court in Moscow shortly after she was released on Wednesday, October 10. Yekaterina Samutsevich was stopped by a guard from joining in the protest song Amnesty International says the ruling is "only a half-measure in achieving justice" The court upheld 2-year sentences for Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alyokhina The sentence is linked to their performance of a song critical of President Vladimir Putin Moscow (CNN) -- A Moscow court upheld two-year prison terms for two Pussy Riot band members but ordered a third freed with a suspended sentence Wednesday. The Russian punk band members were sentenced in August for performing a song critical of President Vladimir Putin in one of the Russian Orthodox Church's most important cathedrals in February. Yekaterina Samutsevich was expected to walk out of the court building Wednesday. The court upheld the sentences for Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alyokhina. Although Samutsevich is a member of Pussy Riot and was involved in planning the protest act, she was stopped by a guard on her way into the church and so did not perform the "punk prayer" song, the court heard. Supporters responded joyfully in the courtroom as her release was announced. The decision came only a week after Samutsevich took on a new legal team for the appeal, saying she wanted to push her defense in a different direction. Video footage of the flash mob-style act showed that Samutsevich was not one of the four women who took part in the protest. Her lawyer argued that as she was not technically part of the performance, she should not be punished in the same way as Tolokonnikova and Alyokhina. The three women, who were arrested shortly after the protest act, were convicted and sentenced for hooliganism. Two other members of the female punk rock band have fled Russia. Both Tolokonnikova and Alyokhina, who have been in custody for more than six months, are expected to serve the remainder of their prison terms in different prisons. Each of them has a young child. Speaking outside court, lawyers for the two women said they would try to take their case to the European Court of Human Rights. Rights group Amnesty International said Wednesday's ruling was "only a half-measure in achieving justice" for the women, and called for all three to be released immediately and unconditionally. "Any decision that shortens the wrongful detention of the three women is welcome. But no one should be fooled -- justice has not been done today," David Diaz-Jogeix, Amnesty's Europe and Central Asia deputy program director, said in a statement. "The government has introduced numerous new restrictions to freedom of expression in recent months. As this decision demonstrates, Russia's judiciary is unlikely to offer much protection to those who fall foul of them." The band's conviction and sentencing garnered an international outcry, with celebrities from Paul McCartney to Anthony Bourdain to Madonna backing the cause of the strident trio. "Say what you will about Pussy Riot: this might not be your kind of music. Their actions might offend you. But this doesn't change the fact that freedom of expression, in whatever peaceful form it takes, is a human right, and one on which the protection of other rights rests," wrote Michelle Ringuette of Amnesty International USA. The February incident outraged many of the country's faithful. Footage of the brief but provocative protest action, in which the band members, clad in balaclavas, screamed "Mother Mary, please drive Putin away" inside Christ Savior Cathedral attracted wide attention after it was posted online. A judge rejected the women's defense that their actions were politically motivated, ruling that they had intended to insult the Orthodox Church and undermine public order. An Orthodox Church leader has been widely reported as saying Putin's years in power have been a miracle from God. Before the hearing last week, the Russian Orthodox Church appealed for leniency for the band members, according to state-owned Ria Novosti. The church believes repentance will "benefit the souls" of the band members, the news agency said. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has called for the members' release but also said he is "sickened" by their actions. CNN's Alla Eshchenko and Alexander Felton contributed to this report.