Federal prosecutors: LT admitted paying for sex

Lawrence Taylor admitted paying for sex at a suburban Holiday Inn where police say he raped a 16-year-old runaway, federal prosecutors said Friday in a criminal complaint against the girl's alleged pimp.

The papers filed in federal court in Manhattan refer to Taylor only as "Client-1." In the paperwork, authorities claim the former Giant told police after his arrest Thursday that he had taken a car service from Newark International Airport to the hotel north of New York City to meet "Victim-1." Taylor told investigators that after "engaging in sex acts" with the victim, he paid her $300 in cash, the complaint says. The man charged in the complaint, Rasheed Davis, had told the Hall of Famer that the girl was 19, the court papers say.

Taylor, 51, was charged Thursday in Suffern, N.Y., with third-degree rape and patronizing a prostitute. His lawyer, Arthur Aidala, has denied the charges.

A federal magistrate ordered Davis held without bail after prosecutors said they suspect that he forced other young women into prostitution.

The girl, who was reported missing by her family in March, met Davis at a Bronx bus stop two to three weeks ago. The federal complaint says she told investigators that the 36-year-old parolee offered her a place to live and a way to make money.

She said Davis gave her Ecstasy and marijuana before causing her "to engage in multiple commercial sex acts" for prices ranging from $80 to $150. He advertised her services by sending cell phone photos of her and posting ads on websites, the complaint says.

On Wednesday, Davis sent the girl a text message in which he said he wanted her to have sex with "Client-1" for $300, the complaint says. When she refused, Davis assaulted her, drove her to the hotel against her will and waited outside while she had sex with Taylor, it says.

Late Wednesday and early Thursday, the girl sent text messages to her uncle saying she was in trouble. The uncle called police, who arrested Davis in the Bronx.

Police believe Taylor used a middleman to arrange the liaison but said Friday they hadn't identified that person.

Davis was sentenced in April 1994 to eight to 25 years in prison for first-degree manslaughter.

The weight-loss company NutriSystem Inc. said Friday it dropped Taylor as a spokesman because of his arrest.