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Reading, Pa – Former Reading police Officer Ronald R. Miko was ordered Friday to remain in federal custody on charges he helped set up a prostitution ring run by Paul S. “God” Sewell.
U.S. Magistrate Lynne A. Sitarski agreed to a request from Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Morgan that Miko, a nine-year veteran of the city force, remain in custody.
Morgan said Miko would be a flight risk if he were released on bail.
Miko’s attorney, Fortunato N. Perri of Philadelphia, declined comment.
On Thursday FBI agents arrested Miko, 37, on a charge of obstructing justice.
He also is accused of trying to bribe partners who were indicted in the ring to lie about his involvement.
Police Chief William M. Heim said Miko was fired in January 2011 after the investigation of Sewell disclosed Miko’s involvement in the prostitution ring.
“This is very disturbing,” Heim said. “I’m glad he is no longer on the force.”
Miko’s annual salary was $65,000.
Meanwhile, Sewell, 46, and co-defendant Michael Johnson, 41, have pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge C. Darnell Jones. Sentencing has been delayed because they are cooperating with police, officials said.
According to investigators:
Miko used a room in Sewell’s house in the 200 block of North 10th Street where Sewell – who referred to himself as “God” – and Johnson operated an Internet-based call girl operation named God’s Prostitutes. A nearby house in the 200 block of Fisher Court also was used for the business.
The ring operators gave the prostitutes, some underage, names such as “God’s Rebel” and “God’s Taken,” which were tattooed on the backs of their necks.
Between May 2 and June 7, Miko wired an undisclosed amount of money to Johnson’s federal prison account to keep Johnson and Sewell quiet about Miko’s involvement in the ring.
In 2007, Miko advised Sewell how to set up the business.
Between 2007 and 2010, Miko offered advice to Sewell about the females employed by the ring.
Miko sometimes lived at the 10th Street property and used a room there from about 2005 until it was raided by county detectives July 28, 2010.
Miko also was Sewell’s bodyguard.