Jeffrey Epstein to serve 18 months in prison followed by house arrest

Jeffrey Epstein to agree to plea in prostitution case
Part-time Palm Beach resident to trade 18 months in prison, house arrest for end to federal probe.

By MICHELE DARGAN
Daily News Staff Writer

Friday, December 14, 2007

(enlarge photo) Money manager Jeffrey Epstein accused of paying underage girls for massages, sometimes sex at his home on El Brillo Way.

Money manager and part-time Palm Beacher Jeffrey Epstein is scheduled to go before a judge Jan. 4 for a plea hearing in his felony prostitution case.

The hearing will be before Circuit Judge Sandra McSorley, the court docket shows.

Sources have confirmed that the deal will result in the Manhattan money manager serving 18 months in prison followed by house arrest.

In exchange for a guilty plea, federal authorities are expected to drop their probe into whether Epstein broke federal laws, the sources said.

Epstein, 54, was indicted in July 2006 on a felony charge of solicitation of prostitution.

The charge capped an 11-month investigation by Palm Beach police that began after a woman told police that her 14-year-old stepdaughter might have been molested by a man in Palm Beach.

Police said Epstein paid five underage girls for massages and sometimes sex at his El Brillo Way home.

Investigators watched Epstein's 7,234-square-foot waterfront home and private jet, and rummaged through his trash to build their case.

They took sworn statements from five alleged victims and 17 witnesses.

The investigation also focused on Epstein's assistant, Sarah Kellen of New York City, and Haley Robson of Royal Palm Beach, both of whom were paid to facilitate the massages and sex, police said.

Neither Kellen nor Robson was charged.