Minnesota Human Services administrator charged in St. Paul prostitution sting

ST. PAUL - A man accused of making a sex-for-money deal with an undercover police officer in St. Paul is a division director for the Minnesota Human Services Department, and is now on indefinite leave of absence.   The St. Paul city attorney’s office charged Mark Steven Toogood on Monday with patronizing prostitution, a gross misdemeanor. Toogood, 58, of Minneapolis, has worked for nearly five years as DHS’ director of economic assistance and employment supports. A “john” sweep is designed to catch people who are looking to purchase sexual services from women, the criminal complaint said. A female undercover officer poses as a prostitute and advertises on the Backpage website, offering sexual services for a price. The officer fields calls from people interested in hiring her, gives directions to her location, and other officers monitor what’s happening. The complaint gives the following account: On April 3 at 8:45 a.m., Toogood called the number the officer advertised and, during calls and texts, made an appointment. Toogood showed up at 1 p.m. to the hotel room where the officer was, and hugged and kissed her. He “told the officer that he wanted an hour of her time, so there would be some time to relax,” the complaint said. She told him it would cost $150 and he agreed to wear a condom. On the same day at 10:33 a.m., Gary Lee Hourselt called the number advertised and agreed to pay for an hour of the officer’s time. He asked if she was law enforcement and she told him she wasn’t. Hourselt, 60, of Finlayson, Minn., hugged and kissed the officer when he got to the hotel room. They made small talk and he paid the officer $200 for sex without a condom. Police arrested Toogood and Hourselt at the time. They were released from jail, and both were charged Monday with prostitution. Toogood could not be reached for comment Monday and an attorney wasn’t listed for him in the court record. Hourselt and his attorney declined to comment. Hourselt indicates on his LinkedIn profile that he’s president of Mid-Continent Engineering. He was not listed on the company’s website Monday and no one from the company could be reached for comment late Monday afternoon, after the office had closed for the day. Minnesota Human Services has interim leadership in place for the division that Toogood is in charge of, Deputy Commissioner for Policy and Operations Chuck Johnson said in a statement Monday. “We will evaluate the situation including the outcome of any charges before any return to work,” he said. Toogood was a state program manager for the Minnesota Supreme Court between 2002 and 2010, according to his LinkedIn profile, and assistant manager of Minnesota Human Services’ children’s services from 2000 to 2002. Samuel Clark, who became St. Paul’s city attorney last week, said prosecuting johns in St. Paul will be a priority. “It’s always has been our practice to work with police to prosecute people who purchase sex in St. Paul and certainly, moving forward it’s going to remain a priority of mine,” he said. The Forum News Service is a media partner with the St Paul Pioneer Press
ST. PAUL - A man accused of making a sex-for-money deal with an undercover police officer in St. Paul is a division director for the Minnesota Human Services Department, and is now on indefinite leave of absence. The St. Paul city attorney’s office charged Mark Steven Toogood on Monday with patronizing prostitution, a gross misdemeanor. Toogood, 58, of Minneapolis, has worked for nearly five years as DHS’ director of economic assistance and employment supports.A “john” sweep is designed to catch people who are looking to purchase sexual services from women, the criminal complaint said. A female undercover officer poses as a prostitute and advertises on the Backpage website, offering sexual services for a price. The officer fields calls from people interested in hiring her, gives directions to her location, and other officers monitor what’s happening.The complaint gives the following account:On April 3 at 8:45 a.m., Toogood called the number the officer advertised and, during calls and texts, made an appointment. Toogood showed up at 1 p.m. to the hotel room where the officer was, and hugged and kissed her. He “told the officer that he wanted an hour of her time, so there would be some time to relax,” the complaint said. She told him it would cost $150 and he agreed to wear a condom.On the same day at 10:33 a.m., Gary Lee Hourselt called the number advertised and agreed to pay for an hour of the officer’s time. He asked if she was law enforcement and she told him she wasn’t.Hourselt, 60, of Finlayson, Minn., hugged and kissed the officer when he got to the hotel room. They made small talk and he paid the officer $200 for sex without a condom.Police arrested Toogood and Hourselt at the time. They were released from jail, and both were charged Monday with prostitution. Toogood could not be reached for comment Monday and an attorney wasn’t listed for him in the court record. Hourselt and his attorney declined to comment.Hourselt indicates on his LinkedIn profile that he’s president of Mid-Continent Engineering. He was not listed on the company’s website Monday and no one from the company could be reached for comment late Monday afternoon, after the office had closed for the day.Minnesota Human Services has interim leadership in place for the division that Toogood is in charge of, Deputy Commissioner for Policy and Operations Chuck Johnson said in a statement Monday.“We will evaluate the situation including the outcome of any charges before any return to work,” he said. Toogood was a state program manager for the Minnesota Supreme Court between 2002 and 2010, according to his LinkedIn profile, and assistant manager of Minnesota Human Services’ children’s services from 2000 to 2002.Samuel Clark, who became St. Paul’s city attorney last week, said prosecuting johns in St. Paul will be a priority.“It’s always has been our practice to work with police to prosecute people who purchase sex in St. Paul and certainly, moving forward it’s going to remain a priority of mine,” he said.The Forum News Service is a media partner with the St Paul Pioneer Press