Client List In Sex Trial Gets US Town Talking

Identifying the first of more than 100 men linked to the sex trial of Zumba dance teacher Alexis Wright, has turned out to be less straightforward than originally hoped.

On Monday a court in Maine released only the names of the 21 alleged clients of the 29-year-old, who is charged with turning her Kennebunk dance studio into a brothel and secretly filming her encounters.

But after a series of cases of mistaken identity, a judge ordered the men's ages and addresses to be added to the list circulating around the picturesque New England seaside town, which is home to around 11,000 people.

One of those on the receiving end of backward glances and awkward questions was Paul Main, a retired spokesman and head of the detective division of the York County Sheriff's Department.

But he was not the Paul Main named on the infamous list.

"I don't have a problem with releasing names. I think it's a wonderful thing, but I'll be darned if it's right to do it in a shoddy manner," the wrong Mr Main told reporters on his doorstep.

A 75-year-old retired colonel James Soule, who has a house in Pemaquid, was also astonished to hear his name read out on his local radio station in California.

"I’m thinking about legal action over this because of the stress this is going to cause," he said.

"I had to talk to my wife to explain to her it was not me. She believes me and we are fine but it is not a conversation we should have had."

More intrigue and slip-ups may follow in the coming weeks as police release the names of other alleged clients in their regular local newspaper beat reports.

The actual list so far includes the former mayor James Soule, a senior lawyer and a prominent estate agent, but rumours abound that the full list contains the names of law enforcement officials and local celebrities.

Alexis Wright has pleaded not guilty to 106 counts of prostitution, invasion of privacy and other charges.

Her business partner, Mark Strong, 57, has pleaded not guilty to 59 misdemeanor charges.

Police said the Zumba instructor kept meticulous records suggesting the sex acts generated \$150,000 (£93,000) over 18 months.

They believe many of the suspected 150 clients were filmed without their knowledge.