College Adviser In Prostitute Raffle Flap

An Ohio State University academic adviser and a real estate agent held a $10-a-ticket raffle that offered an evening with a prostitute who is also a child sex-abuse caseworker, police said.

Christopher S. Johnson, 33, an academic adviser at OSU's School of Nursing, organized the raffle through a Craigslist.com chat board, police said. Real estate agent Rusty Blades, 42, held the invitation-only party at his house in October for the participants.

Both Johnson and Blades were charged with promoting prostitution. A judge set bail Saturday at $50,000 for Blades and $25,000 for Johnson.

OSU spokesman Jim Lynch said that Johnson was placed on unpaid leave and that the school will investigate whether he improperly used his computer.

Police Detective Jeffrey Ackley identified Vanise Dunn, 31, as the prostitute involved in the raffle. She has worked at Franklin County Children Services since 2000, and court records show she was charged with prostitution Nov. 12 for allegedly soliciting a vice detective.

Her attorney, Scott Kossoudji, declined to comment. Dunn has been on paid leave since her arrest, said Doris Calloway Moore, spokeswoman for Franklin County Children's Services. The agency is looking into whether Dunn violated any of its policies.

A message seeking comment was left Monday with Blades' attorney Richard Wetzel. A woman who answered the phone at Johnson's home said he was not available.

According to CBS affiliate WBNS-TV, Blades' neighbors were surprised to find that his house was allegedly a de facto brothel.

"What concerns me is that it could happen so close to me and I not notice anything," neighbor Devotion Brown said. "I wasn't suspicious at all. Not at all."