She’s ready to cut a deal.
After three weeks at Rikers Island, the accused “Hockey Mom Madam” said today she is considering a plea bargain with Manhattan prosecutors about her alleged role in a big-bucks hooker ring.
Anna Gristina showed up in court this morning with a new lawyer and a plan to make her $2 million bail.
“My intention is to meet the DA with a view toward a disposition or resolving the matter ... if I think that a plea is the appropriate thing,” Gristina said through her new lawyer, Gary Greenwald.
In an exclusive interview with The Post last week, Gristina said that in an hour-long grilling that she'd refused to give investigators any information about possible high-profile johns.
Greenwald insisted no one should read much into her intentions.
“Every case has a potential of a plea,” he said.
If Gristina, 44, wants to talk plea, she’d better be ready to play hardball, warned lead Manhattan official corruption prosecutor Charles Linehan.
“Based on what we know about her ... there is a good argument that can be made for the maximum sentence being imposed, even considering this is her first arrest,” Linehan said.
That maximum on a charge of promoting prostitution could put Gristina in prison for 2 1/3rd to seven years.
Greenwald spoke after Gristina’s appearance before Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan, who’s weighing her proposal to post her bail — a whopping $2 million bond, or $1 million cash.
Gristina has fired her free court-appointed lawyer, Richard Siracusa, and has also let go of her pro bono lawyer, Peter Gleason, who had sparred openly in court.
Yanking Gleason from the case also cancels the conflict of interest in Gleason’s plan to post his TriBeCa loft as collateral for any bail bond.
Gristina’s hunky husband, Monroe County real estate broker Kevin Gorr, along with Gristina’s sister, are also willing to put up property to help secure Gristina’s release.
Gristina will cool her high heels in Rikers for a while longer. Merchan said he would hold another hearing verifying the source of Gleason’s collateral before he approves her bail.
Greenwald noted that co-defendant Jaynie Baker -- Gristina’s beautiful, strawberry blond accused side-kick madam -- was released on only $100,000 bail for essentially the same accusation.
Gristina, who was brought to court today in handcuffs, wore a silky, boat-necked black-and-white blouse, having ditched the black and white herringbone jacket she’d worn on her previous appearances.
Her appearance came as The Post reported today that Manhattan DA investigators raided her 78th Street “brothel” and stripped it of what they consider to be vital evidence — hairbrushes and toothbrushes.
“They could potentially be used for DNA testing, hair analysis to identify people who have been using that location,” Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Roper told a judge last month, according to court documents obtained by The Post.
The one-bedroom apartment of ill repute was raided Feb. 22. as was Gristina’s upstate Monroe farmhouse. Gristina was also arrested that day.
The DNA evidence could be used to bolster a case against either hookers or some of the million-dollar johns who allegedly patronized the pleasure palace.
Accused NYC madam not getting out of jail Thursday: MyFoxNY.com
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