Matthew
Brown bought $1 million ticket at Super Stop on Kenmawr Avenue
RANKIN,
Pa. —The Rankin police officer who bought a $1 million Powerball ticket is
named in a police complaint against his wife, Jennifer Brown, who faces charges,
including promoting prostitution through an Internet site called
sixtynineentertainment.com.
Many
Pittsburghers have likely driven past this store several times. A man who went
inside and bought a ticket is $1 million richer.
The
allegations stem from an FBI and local investigation into Internet prostitution
from late 2012 through last June.
The
Powerball winner, Officer Matthew Brown, was not charged, but he was named in
the police complaint.
Among
ads for lap dances and strip teases, court documents say the adult
entertainment agency posted Internet ads on Pittsburgh Backpage Escort, a site
where prostitutes solicit customers.
The
complaint said the website is "known by law enforcement as a site where
known female, male and transsexual prostitutes post ads soliciting for
customer/johns."
Jennifer
Brown's attorney, David Shrager, said his client has pleaded not guilty, and
that the case lacks evidence and they're waiting for their day in court.
Shrager:
"She worked scheduling bachelor parties, and these were meant to be
legitimate bachelor parties that go on every day."
Reporter:
"No prostitution?"
Shrager:
"No prostitution."
Investigators
said employees told them the Browns worked for sixtynineentertainment.com, with
Jennifer Brown serving as the manager/scheduler who ran daily operations and
Matthew Brown as the driver/security.
Reporter:
"Winning the lottery puts them in the spotlight. Is that bittersweet
because of the criminal allegations here?"
Shrager:
"Bittersweet is a wonderful way of putting it. They would rather not have
the money and have their good names back. This has been an emotional roller
coaster for them, to say the least."
According
to the police complaint, sixtynineentertainment.com employees provided
information, saying, "Often drivers and employees would meet at Jen and
Matt Brown's house ... waiting for appointments ... it was common knowledge
Matt Brown was a police officer."
The
complaint says the agency's owner listed Matt Brown in his phone as
"police officer and employee of 69 Entertainment."
While
investigators say Matthew Brown's Comcast account was used to post ads on
PittsburghBackpage.com, Shrager says others had access to it, too.
"No
evidence of illegal activity at their home," said Shrager.
"It's
surprising, very surprising. I wasn't aware of this," said Rankin Police
Chief Ryan Wooten.
Wooten
said he hired Matthew Brown about a year ago before Brown's name showed up in
the police complaint against his wife.
"I
mean, I did his background check. I'm going to say that's unfounded. I'm pretty
sure that's unfounded. I mean, you're going to have the good and bad. He's
blessed with a lot of money. So someone is going to throw something negative in
there, and that's the negative part," said Wooten.
When
Pittsburgh's Action News 4 asked Matthew Brown about winning the lottery, he
said, "I'll talk to you later."
Shrager
said Brown plans to use the lottery winnings to invest in their children.
Pennsylvania
Lottery spokesman Gary Miller said, after federal taxes, Matthew Brown will
have $750,000.
Matthew
Brown is still an active officer, and Wooten said Brown plans to stay on the
force.
According
to Allegheny County, Brown previously served with Allegheny County police from
December 2002 through May 2013. The county would not say the reason for his
departure, but when Pittsburgh's Action News 4 asked Wooten about it, he said,
"It was mutual."
Moon
Township police, City of Pittsburgh Vice Unit and the FBI Human Trafficking
Joint Task Force were part of the investigation.
An
FBI representative could not "confirm or deny whether an investigation is
still going on."
Moon
Township Police Chief McCarthy said his detectives did not not "have
enough to charge Brown with anything."
