D.C. Madam case has local impact

The saga of “D.C. Madam” Deborah Jeane Palfrey continued this week. Thursday, an unnamed instructor at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis was confirmed to be one of the women working for Palfrey’s escort service and then Friday, in a 20/20 interview, Palfrey identified the late Brandy Britton as one of her employees. Britton, a former UMBC Women’s Studies professor, was arrested in 2006 for prostitution and hanged herself this past January just before her trial was to begin (also reportedly just before foreclosure on her home.)

Officials with the Howard County Police had said before the interview that they had no indication Britton had worked for Palfrey or for anyone else.

In an unrelated story, the revelation that a USNA instructor worked for Palfrey came on the heels of the arrest of a Navy doctor who was a sponsor of midshipmen on leave for weekends and holidays. Commander Kevin Ronan, who also chaperoned the Academy’s gymnastics team was charged after a mid staying in his house in January noticed a video camera’s red light in an air vent while changing clothes. A female mid has also reported that she was videotaped while another midshipman reported that he found a recording in Ronan’s house that showed him having sex with his girlfriend. NCIS is lead agency in the investigation, with assistance from local authorities.

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