Minnesota Prostitution Ring Leader Gets No Jail Time

ST. PAUL  (AP) -- The leader of the "Minnesota Nice Guys" online prostitution ring has learned his sentence, and as expected, will not serve jail time.

John St. Marie was sentenced Thursday in Ramsey County and received a stayed sentence on each of three counts of promoting prostitution.

St. Marie, a former assistant Hennepin County attorney, pleaded guilty in November. He faced a possible 15 years on each count.

St. Marie uses a wheelchair because of childhood polio and needs round-the-clock health care. Prosecutors say the no-jail sentence was mainly because of the expense to incarcerate him.

Investigators say St. Marie matched up prostitutes and clients he called "nice guys," who he claimed were safe and would pay well.

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