Book chronicles real investigation, take down of notorious pimp
LAS VEGAS – Det. Chris Baughman has made it his mission to protect Las Vegas, so it’s only fitting that the public launch party of his first book, “Off the Street,” will take place in the middle of downtown Vegas (at the Downtown Cocktail Room, 111 Las Vegas Blvd. S.) from 5-7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 2.
“Off the Street” will be released Thursday, Sept. 1. Published by Behler Publications, the book retails for $15.95 and will be available in trade paperback. Copies will be available for purchase, and Baughman will be on hand to sign books and speak with attendees.
A detective for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s Pandering Investigation Team (PIT), Baughman didn’t set out to be a cop. As a kid growing up in the rougher parts of Las Vegas, he saw crimes no child should experience. Now, as a member of an elite squad of detectives, Baughman tracks down men who traffic women and lure them into lives of prostitution, abuse and hopelessness. In his first book, “Off the Street,” Baughman tells the story of the case that two years ago launched PIT, which already has been the inspiration for a “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” episode as well as a story on “Dateline NBC.”
“Our nation is under fire. There is a war going on beneath the surface of our city. The prize? The lives and futures of our daughters,” Baughman said. “These men trick, lie and coerce women into lives of prostitution through promises of love and wealth. We as a society have been led to believe that many of the women involved in this lifestyle make a conscious decision to do so. This couldn’t be further from the truth. In this world violence and degradation are commonplace. The women have become no more than commodities.”
Las Vegasis a hub and one of the top destinations in the country for human trafficking, and the Pandering Investigation Team tracks, arrests and fights to prosecute some of Clark County’s most violent, yet wealthy criminals, including pimps and others involved in the trafficking of human lives for monetary gain.
Originally titled “Anomaly,” “Off the Street,” chronicles Baughman and his team’s investigation and the eventual take down of a notorious pimp who is now serving time in prison for his crimes. Just like his move into law enforcement, Baughman’s recent hobby as an author turned professional by chance.
Baughman was urged to write a book about his experiences and attended a writer’s conference in La Jolla, Calif. for guidance. An agent saw his work, decided to represent him – unheard of for an inexperienced author – and found Behler Publications, a nationwide publisher. Since then, Baughman has signed a three-book deal with Behler and has received national attention for a book that won’t be released until Sept. 1.
For more information on “Off the Street,” visit Behler Publications’ website.