Alleged Casino Pimp Waives Preliminary Hearing

A Whitehall Township man accused of operating a prostitution ring that arranged meetings between call girls and clients at the waived his right to a preliminary hearing on Monday.

Joseph John Janis, 50, of 3036 Rosewood Place, will face three counts of promoting prostitution, a third-class felony, in Northampton County Court.

Janis and his attorney, Philip Lauer, were at the office of at the time a preliminary hearing was scheduled Monday, but elected to allow the charges to go on to the Court of Common Pleas, without contesting them.

Janis is accused of operating “At Your Pleasure,” an Internet prostitution business, court records say. Janis allegedly took telephone calls, arranged meetings between prostitutes and johns and would drive the call girls to their appointments.

by Bethlehem police on January 21 during a prostitution sting at the casino.

An undercover officer allegedly called Janis at an advertised telephone number to arrange a meeting with two call girls. Janis was picked up driving a brown Mercury Sable, which was circling the casino after dropping off two alleged prostitutes, who also were arrested, according to court records.

Another alleged prostitute arrested at the casino earlier in the evening had identified Janis as her pimp, police said.