Updated 3/10/08 to include Congressional Record entry honoring Judge Ron Tills.Updated 3/10/08 to include Congressman Reynolds' Masonic affiliations
On Thursday, The Burning Taper published an article about, and linked to investigative reporter Sandy Frost's detailed account about, 19 members of the Mason-related Royal Order of Jesters members who have been subpoenaed as witnesses in a federal trial involving underage prostitutes while on a fishing trip to Brazil in 2005.
A comment left by a reader here said, "This has to be an isolated incident."
Sadly, it doesn't appear this kind of activity among the Royal Order of Jesters is an isolated incident.
Synchronistically, on the same day we ran that article two other Jesters, one a retired state judge now serving as a hearings officer, the other his former law clerk, resigned amidst allegations that they, along with a former police captain, took a female massage parlor employee in a motor home to a gathering of members of the Royal Order of Jesters. Transporting a woman across state lines for purposes of prostitution is a violation of the federal Mann Act.
The story ran today on the front page of the Sunday edition of the Buffalo News.
The investigation is part of a probe into Buffalo-area massage parlors linked to prostitution.
Both retired Judge Ronald H. Tills and law clerk Michael Stebick tendered their resignations on Thursday.
Stebick's attorney Andrew C. LoTempio told the Buffalo News, "[Stebick] resigned from his job to save his family and the court system from embarrassment."
Tills had also served as a state assemblyman.
Stebick is a former criminal prosecutor with the Erie County district attorney’s office.
Six witnesses familiar with the investigation said Stebick, the owner of the motor home used on the trip, Tills and retired Lockport, NY Police Capt. John Trowbridge went on the road trip along with as many as nine other Jesters and the woman from the massage parlor. Investigators did not say to where they traveled, other than it was outside New York, or when it occurred, other than it was over a year ago.
The FBI and U.S. Border Patrol have been investigating the local Jesters Buffalo Court No. 22, of which the three are members.
As if to further drive home the fact that this isn't an isolated incident, the Buffalo Times, speaking of a Feb. 1990 federal case in Milwaukee, Wisconsin said:
According to the [Milwaukee Sentinel-Journal] newspaper’s account, a woman admitted to a federal judge that she ran an interstate prostitution business and was hired to provide prostitutes for Jesters conventions in New Orleans, Houston, Chicago and other locations, including some in other countries.Alex Rogers, business manager at the Jesters' Indianapolis headquarters, said, "Our purpose is to spread the gospel of mirth and merriment.... We certainly don't stand for any of that stuff.... Most of our work is charitable in nature, and that's why I just can't believe the nature of this investigation."The newspaper reported that the woman, speaking at her sentencing, told the judge that "well-to-do businessmen, mayors and aldermen" were among the Jesters' members, and that uniformed police officers sometimes provided security at the events.
The Jesters try to take the "highest caliber Shriners we can get" who distinguish themselves in the community, Rogers said.
"We try to keep the cream of the crop," he said.
When reporters Dan Herbeck and Aaron Besecker of the Buffalo News phoned local Jesters Court No. 22 secretary James Kirst, he hung up the phone when asked about the investigation.
Updated: Monday, March 10, 2008 — The following statement by Rep. Thomas M. Reynolds (R-NY) was read in the House of Representatives and published in the Congressional Record on Dec. 8, 2005:
TRIBUTE TO JUDGE RONALD H. TILLSCongressman Tom Reynolds is a member of Springville Lodge in New York and Ismailia Temple (of Buffalo, NY) of the Ancient Arabic Order, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (the Shriners), according to Congressional SourceWatch and Project VoteSmart. Rep. Thomas M. Reynolds should not be confused with M.W. Thomas E. Reynolds, Past Grand Master of Ohio.
HON. THOMAS M. REYNOLDS OF NEW YORK IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Thursday, December 8, 2005
Mr. REYNOLDS. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to honor a respected jurist, a dedicated public servant, a valued mentor and a trusted friend upon the occasion of his retirement from the New York State Court of Claims.
A native of Hamburg, New York, and a veteran of the United States Army Reserves, Judge Ronald H. Tills began a career in public service that spanned five decades when he joined the Zoning Board of Appeals in 1960. An Assistant Town Attorney and Town Justice, Ron Tills was elected to the New York State Assembly in 1968, where he served his community and his State with distinction, becoming Chairman of the Assembly's Select Committee for Revision of Corporation Law.
It was in his capacity as Member of the State Assembly that Judge Ron Tills took a chance on a young college student with little political experience to help run his re-election campaign in 1972. Joining his Assembly staff following that election, my own career in government and public service was launched, and I will be forever grateful for Ron's guidance, counsel and friendship.
Judge Tills' service to his community culminated when he was nominated by Governor George E. Pataki, and confirmed by the New York State Senate, to the New York State Court of Claims in July of 1995, where he has served as a Court of Claim Judge and Acting Supreme Court Justice for the past decade.
Mr. Speaker, Ron Tills involvement in a variety of civic and community organizations, and the awards and recognitions he has received over the years are too numerous to list. Whether it was the Lions Club, Chamber of Commerce, Hamburg Volunteer Fire Company, or so many others, Ron Tills involved himself as he did in each endeavor throughout his life and career, with passion, leadership, and commitment.
One of his great loves is the largest and oldest fraternal organization in the world. As a Mason, Ron Tills has held numerous responsibilities within the Masons and the organizations within it, including Proctor of the Grand Lodge of the State of New York, Potentate of the Ismalia Shrine Temple, Director and President of the Shrine Oasis and Director of the Buffalo Court 22 of Jesters.
In addition to the Masons, gardening and travel, Ron Tills' greatest love of all is the former Elizabeth Clarkson. Ron and Betty were married on May 6, 1960, and are parents of Thomas and Suzanne and grandparents of Dale Jr. and Diane Goodridge, and Timothy and Abigail Tills.
Mr. Speaker, in recognition of and in gratitude for his service, leadership and patriotism, I ask that this Honorable Body join me in honoring Judge Ronald H. Tills upon the occasion of his retirement, and wish him great health and happiness in the days and years ahead.
Image 1: Retired New York State Supreme Justice Ronald H. Tills
Image 2: T-shirt design available at the Jester Phun Store
Ronald Tills | Michael Stebick | John Trowbridge |Masons | Royal Order of Jesters | Prostitution | Freemasonry | Burning Taper | BurningTaper.com
Yep isolated alright... in North America.
ReplyDeleteTHE COWS ARE COMING HOME!
here comes the Judge!
ReplyDeletehere comes the Judge!
Well, at least this was done in the name of charity, right?
I am sure glad the Jester's I know would never do this stuff!
They still believe in their Blue Lodge oaths and
that being a Blue Lodge mason actually means responsibility with their actions, instead of using their titles and postitions to allow such despicable behavior.
I have always said, if one lays down with dogs, you are going to get up with fleas!
Plus, the idea of guilt by association. If the Jesters next door in Buffalo are this immoral, can that type of immorality be that far away in your home town?
I can guarentee the Jester's I know will not be talking about this news with their wives, but they will discuss how bad the Halcyon guys were though!
ROTFLMFAO
Karma Police
I am glad I chose to invovle myself in the Halcyon situation over putting blinders on to become a Jester instead.
titles and nominations I have never sought, Justice and Truth were more appealing to me within Freemasonry.
I luckily sowed my wild oats in college and in my 20's, no need now. Plus , who has the energy for all that type of shenanigans!
Oh yeah, the white collar wonder drug, Viagra and ciallis!
you know, now that I look at his picture, I can see why he had to pay for sex.
ReplyDeleteDo as I say,
not as I do.... huh Judge?
Jester creed?
is there any different implications if transporting prostitutes across countries borders?
ReplyDeleteBuffalo is close to canada?
I stand corrected; I suppose I'm not as cynical as most. If these men are guilty as charged then they were never true Masons. Masonic discipline is in order, I’m sure.
ReplyDeleteIn a perfect world every Mason would be true to his obligations, but this IS NOT a perfect world as we all know. I still believe for every bad Mason there are many more upright Masons.
I can only be 100% positive of one; and every day I endeavor to achieve that perfect ashlar.
Enoch Rodriguez
Phoenix no.8 AF&AM
Well..they are in very good company what with Eliot Spitzer (crime fighting gov) being "client number 9" of the "Emporer Club" (sounds somewhat shrineee hugh)
ReplyDeletePersonally, knowing many Jesters, I'd have to question the ammount of Viagra (TM) needed pull of a stunt like this.
"Gospel of Mirth and Merriment?"
ReplyDeleteWhat does that have to do with Freemasonry? For that matter, what do fezzes have to do do with Freemasonry either?
Spinoff of other probe
ReplyDeleteThe investigation is a spinoff of a case involving prostitution at local massage parlors. Court papers filed by federal prosecutors after a December crackdown on those local massage parlors referred to a “judge” and a “police captain” as being frequent customers of some of the parlors.
Six sources who are familiar with the investigation said Stebick, the owner of the motor home used on the trip, Tills and retired Lockport Police Capt. John Trowbridge went on the road trip, accompanied by the woman from the massage parlor and as many as nine other local men associated with the Jesters. The News has made repeated efforts to reach Trowbridge, 60, for comment, but has been unable to contact him.
Authorities said they became aware of the road trip because the woman had worked at one of four area massage parlors that were raided and shut down in December in connection with the prostitution and human trafficking case.
Under the federal Mann Act, it is illegal to transport a woman over state lines for the purposes of prostitution.
Since learning about the alleged road trip, agents from the FBI and U.S. Border Patrol have been investigating the local Jesters chapter, which is known as the Jesters Buffalo Court No. 22. Police also are investigating whether there were other incidents of prostitutes transported across state lines so they could attend Jesters conventions in other cities.
Tills, who retired as a state judge in 2005, was previously a member of the Assembly. Until resigning Thursday, he worked part time as a $300-a-day judicial hearing officer in the state courts.
Stebick, Tills’ former law clerk, is a former criminal prosecutor with the Erie County district attorney’s office. In recent years, he has worked for the state courts part time, evaluating pistol permit applications, Isenberg said.
According to the Congressional Record, Rep. Thomas M. Reynolds, R-Clarence, mentioned Tills’ work with the Jesters while making congratulatory remarks about the judge’s retirement during a session of Congress on Dec. 5, 2005.
While attending college, Reynolds worked in Tills’ Assembly office in the early 1970s. Speaking before Congress, he called Tills his “valued mentor” and spoke of his service to community organizations, including his work as director of “Buffalo Court 22 of Jesters.”
The Jesters is a not-for-profit fraternal organization associated with the Masons, with 191 chapters, called subordinate courts, in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Panama, said Alex Rogers, business manager at the organization’s Indianapolis headquarters.
“Mirth ... merriment”
“Mirth is king” is the fun-loving group’s motto, according to its Web site.
There are about 23,500 members in all, and each must already be a member of the Shrine of North America and the Masons, Rogers said.
“Our purpose is to spread the gospel of mirth and merriment,” Rogers said.
Officials in the group’s headquarters said they were not aware of the investigation in Buffalo and have not been contacted about it by police.
To hear of the investigation from a reporter was “unnerving and shocking,” Rogers said.
“We certainly don’t stand for any of that stuff,” he said.
Since each Jester is already a Shriner, the group supports the 22 Shriners Hospitals for Children in the United States, Canada and Mexico, Rogers said.
“Most of our work is charitable in nature, and that’s why I just can’t believe the nature of this investigation,” he said.
However, allegations of prostitution activity at Jesters conventions have surfaced publicly at least once before — during a federal court case in Milwaukee, Wis., in February 1990, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
According to the newspaper’s account, a woman admitted to a federal judge that she ran an interstate prostitution business and was hired to provide prostitutes for Jesters conventions in New Orleans, Houston, Chicago and other locations, including some in other countries.
The newspaper reported that the woman, speaking at her sentencing, told the judge that “well-to-do businessmen, mayors and aldermen” were among the Jesters’ members, and that uniformed police officers sometimes provided security at the events.
The Jesters try to take the “highest caliber Shriners we can get” who distinguish themselves in the community, Rogers said.
“We try to keep the cream of the crop,” he said.
Rogers had no information about Tills, or whether he still holds a leadership post in the Buffalo Jesters group. Tills’ attorney, Connors, declined to comment on Tills’ role with the group.
The national Jesters office identified James Kirst as secretary of the Buffalo chapter, but Kirst hung up the telephone when a reporter asked him about the FBI investigation.
Four massage parlors in Niagara Falls, Wheatfield, Lockport and the Town of Tonawanda were raided Dec. 10, after a 15-month investigation into prostitution allegations. Four people were arrested, and police said they “rescued” nine women who worked in the parlors.
Buffalo FBI spokesman Paul M. Moskal said he could not comment when asked whether Tills was the judge and Trowbridge was the police captain discussed in the court documents.
“There are ongoing aspects to this investigation that are being followed up by our agents and the Border Patrol, but I can’t comment on any of the specifics,” Moskal said.
U.S. Attorney Terrance P. Flynn and his chief of criminal prosecutions, James P. Kennedy, both said they had no comment when asked about the Jesters.
dherbeck@buffnews.com and abesecker@buffnews.com
"Under the federal Mann Act, it is illegal to transport a woman over state lines for the purposes of prostitution."
ReplyDeleteSWEET!
Where do I sign up?
Why would the federal government expect freemasons to adhere to the laws of our land?
Our little organization is above the federal govt's laws and act with impunity.
Since most Grand Lodges are at least a couple hundred years old, they have ever had to worry about fed's looking into them.So, after a couple hundred years of no checks or balances, an organization can stray and think they are above the laws. Especially if the group is filled with lawyers and judges and police chiefs, why would they think the same laws that apply to us would apply to them?
Uh DUH.............
looking at that picture I see why he had to pay for it!
ReplyDeleteWell, I would say that a group of about nine guys with ONE prostitute between them gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "cream of the crop".
ReplyDeleteYikes. At least go big, pony up enough for a few more "women of the night".
Wasn't Sandy Frost also conducting an investigation into the mis-appropriation of the Shriner's charities funds? I recall reading an article, believe it was by her. There was an indecently low amount of the charity's moneys actually being used for charitable means.
Thieves and liars, hypocrites and bastards.
snap
ReplyDelete" As for jesters, magicians, bards, troubadours and jousters, they despise and reject them as so many vanities and unsound deceptions. "
ReplyDeleteSt. Bernard de Clairvaux
"In Praise of the New Knighthood"