BOSTON, May 14, 2012—A man who allegedly used his Dorchester residence as a base for a prostitution enterprise is due back in court today after his arrest in March, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

LEROY LOCKETT (D.O.B. 11/4/52) was arraigned March 21 in Dorchester District Court on a charge of deriving support from prostitution, a felony punishable by up to five years in state prison. Conley’s office at that time recommended that he be held on $20,000 cash bail; Judge Kenneth V. Desmond set bail at $2,500.

Lockett was arrested after Boston Police detectives obtained a warrant based on information that Lockett had been prostituting as many as four women out of his Adams Street apartment.

Lockett allegedly set the rates at which the women were paid, with each woman expected to service three or four men each weekday – and more on the weekends. In addition to taking half of what the women were paid, Lockett allegedly collected an additional $30 from each “john” for the room.

If the women refused to work, Lockett would allegedly threaten or beat them, investigators say.

“Cases like this one only are at the heart of our prosecution strategy, which is to prioritize charges against pimps and johns who drive prostitution in Boston and Suffolk County,” Conley said.

Lockett is represented by attorney Jessica Tripp.

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.