Spa Employee Arrested for Prostitution in Undercover Bust

Whittel & Melton, LLC 866-608-5529 – Florida Sex Crime Attorneys

An employee at a Fort Myers, Florida spa was arrested Thursday afternoon after delivering an extended massage to an undercover detective with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.

An appointment at the spa was allegedly made after Lee County Sheriff’s Vice/Narcotics detectives spotted an advertisement on ‘Backpage.com.’

The detective entered the spa and was taken to a room by a 45-year-old woman who supposedly massaged the man for the agreed time of 30 minutes.

When the time was up, the woman supposedly asked the man if he wanted more time and they agreed on $20 for extra time.

The undercover officer allegedly grabbed his penis at one point, questioning if the woman would touch his genitalia.

According to police reports, the woman asked the man several times if he was the police.

The woman allegedly agreed to the detective’s request for an additional $80.

The detective apparently gave the takedown signal and the woman was placed under arrest and charged with prostitution.

Florida law enforcement officials often use undercover detectives in intricate sting operations to pursue individuals engaging in prostitution, pandering, sex trafficking and running illegal brothels. Due to the overwhelming political and social pressure to arrest those involved in prostitution offenses, law enforcement agencies usually devote considerable resources into these vice squad operations. A majority of these stings target escort and massage services that advertise through online ads. Even personal profile online advertisements can be subject to inspection for suspected illegal activity. While most first time offenses related to prostitution are charged as misdemeanors, succeeding offenses can elevate charges to felony status. A prostitution or solicitation conviction can result in multiple punishments including jail time, probation, fees and fines, AIDS testing, court-ordered therapy and community service.

A conviction for prostitution can have a damaging effect on your social status, career, reputation and family life. It is crucial to contact a Florida Prostitution Sting Lawyer to fight to have your charges reduced or dropped. There are a variety of defenses that can be used for those facing prostitution charges and the Florida Sex Crimes Attorneys at Whittel & Melton can present the most effective depending on your situation. The most common defenses include:

• Entrapment – When decoy officers lure otherwise law abiding citizens to agree to engage in acts of prostitution.
• Lack of Credible Evidence – Most undercover operations require undercover detectives to wear a wire, but officers don’t always record the conversations between the cop and the alleged prostitute. This raises several red flags for the defense to pursue, such as reasons why the conversation was not recorded and the possibility that the officer is lying or exaggerating about alleged events.
• Insufficient Evidence – This can include a variety of issues such as if no monetary agreement was reached in exchange for sex or if there was no actual intent to engage in illegal sexual activities.

If you have been arrested for charges related to prostitution throughout the state of Florida, contact the Florida Sex Crimes Defense Attorneys at Whittel & Melton online or call us toll-free at 866-608-5529.