Women accused in United pilot's alleged prostitution ring appear in court

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- In court Thursday, a young woman who goes by the name "Emmy" stood silently in front of a judge. She is among eight women charged with prostitution in relation to the alleged brothels ring run by United pilot Bruce Wallis and his accused accomplice Tracie Tanner.

Emmy, though, said she did not know any of the other women until they were all arrested, and placed in jail.

"We are all really mind-boggling about what's going on and why we are all together," said Emmy. "It wasn't really brought up until I was in jail, and I met the other people who were involved in this."

That message is echoed by attorneys for Katherine Rejouis, one of the other women accused of prostitution.

Mug shots of women arrested in connection with United pilot case

"My suspicion that Katherine couldn't pick Wayne (Wallis) out if he fell out of the crowd," said Chris Downey, who is representing Rejouis. "We're going to find out why it is she's being implicated in all this."

In his court appearance earlier this week, Wallis' attorney pushed back against the charges. Meanwhile, Tanner's attorney painted his client as a victim, pointing out she is a mother struggling to raise five children.

Prosecutors allege women met customers in several Houston area locations, including this nondescript office building at Highway 290 near the North Loop.

On Thursday afternoon, we went looking for some of the other women who were charged. They did not want to comment on the record. But Emmy said she is still waiting for a reasonable explanation of the prosecution charges.

"We are all very, very, very confused. Everyone, like the police and a few lawyers I have spoken to about this, we are all extremely confused as to how the hell were all bunched together on this. No correlation at all," she said.