Prostitution king sentenced

A former South Bay man who ran a prostitute review Web site was sentenced to more than four years in prison in Arizona for trying to hire someone to kill a prostitute.

David Elms, 38, who previously lived in both Torrance and Hawthorne, pleaded guilty last month to conspiracy to commit aggravated assault.

On Monday, he was sentenced in a Maricopa County courtroom to four and a half years in prison, plus five years probation for his involvement in a high-profile prostitution ring case.

He was already on probation for drugs and weapons convictions from a 2006 incident with a prostitute in Manhattan Beach when he was arrested in Phoenix a year ago.

The founder of TheEroticReview.com had made bail after his arrest, fled and was recaptured in June as he tried to cross the border from Mexico.

Elms launched his Web site in 1999 as a place to review prostitutes.

 One of the prostitutes took exception with the private information Elms posted about her and sued him.

 County Attorney Andrew Thomas said in a statement, "Prostitution exploits women and degrades the community. I thank the Phoenix Police Department and our prosecutors for bringing this case to a proper conclusion."

The Phoenix New Times had this to say: "If he spends time with real pimps and bones up on his PHP code, Elms probably will obtain a doctorate in prostitution management by the time he gets out of prison."