Mason City woman sent to prison for pimping

MASON CITY – It took a few years, but a Mason City woman will be heading to a state prison for pimping.

Investigators with the North Central Iowa Narcotics Task Force (NCINTF), while conducting a drug investigation, became aware of a prostitution ring working in the area back in June of 2014.

According to the Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were at the Days Inn Hotel, 2301 4th Street SW, on Thursday, June 26, 2014 at about 10:34 PM. During an investigation, Elizabeth Jean Seals, age 22 of Mason City, was arrested for prostitution and Vanessa Fandohan, age 29, also of Mason City, was arrested for aiding and abetting prostitution.

Sheriff Kevin Pals said at the time, the “activity has been going on in the area for some time”.

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Department, Iowa State Patrol and Mason City Police Department assisted in the investigation.

Fandohan was given a deferred judgement on a charge of pimping, as a judge threw out a charge of prostitution. A 5-year prison sentence was deferred. However, she was ordered to pay $6,228.00 in court costs, fines and fees. However, after at least three probation violations, Judge Adam Sauer revoked Fandohan’s probation and imposed the original prison sentence. She was also caught drunk driving and in possession of marijuana by Mason City police back in June of this year; she has entered a guilty plea in that case.