By: An advertising salesman for an alternative newspaper agreed to community service in exchange for the dismissal of six felony charges of promoting prostitution.
Nels Noseworthy, an account executive for the Nashville Scene weekly, was charged last year in a six-count felony indictment that said he promoted prostitution through ads that he sold.
Undercover officers claimed they bought advertising through Noseworthy for the paper's "Personal Adult Services" section and indicated to him that the ads were for prostitution services.
Albie Del Favero, who was the publisher at the time of the arrest, said the charges against Noseworthy were retaliation for critical articles the newspaper published about the son of Police Chief Ronal Serpas.
"The investigation was about the promotion of prostitution in Scene advertising and had nothing to do with the news or editorial content of the paper," Serpas said.
Serpas said that more than 30 ads in the paper were found to be prostitution-related and officers found that Noseworthy was aware of these connections.
"These activities occurred before the current publisher was in place, and I have been assured that greater safeguards will be followed in the future," District Attorney General Torry Johnson said.
Current publisher Chris Ferrell said that the newspaper no longer accepts advertising for escort services and he does not believe the arrest was retaliatory.
Noseworthy must perform 48 hours of community service and pay court fees.
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