A pair of Spokane-area massage parlors employing only Chinese workers is under investigation on suspicion of promoting prostitution, human trafficking, practicing without a license and money laundering. Kelan D. Johnson, who has owned the parlors since the beginning of the year and later opened 3 Piers Oil Spa on Division Street in June, denied the allegations.
He has not been arrested or charged with a crime. Johnson said that on Thursday night, after the Homeland Security officer was finished with his undercover investigation, a team of law enforcement officers raided the Spokane Valley location and took piles of cash, receipts and daily log books as evidence. Johnson said neither he nor his wife, a Chinese woman he married in the beginning of the year, directed any of his masseuses to perform sexual favors for cash. Court documents allege area law enforcement have received multiple complaints from customers reporting prostitution and forced sex.
Days later, the agent found an ad for the Space Oil parlor on backpage. Johnson said over the phone that his wife was heavily involved in hiring the Chinese women. He said she used a Chinese multipurpose messaging website and app called WeChat to connect with the women who would arrive from California once they received their license. He denied making posts on backpage. He also denied linking his parlors to a website called adultlook.
Johnson said his businesses have a strict policy on not allowing sexual acts. We will call the law. As of Monday, Johnson said all three parlors are open as usual. On average, he speculated he receives about customers a day between the three. Most are men. About 95 percent of them are good people, Johnson said. The remaining few are those who cause the problems and may be behind the controversy surrounding his parlors. We can all use a little hope and redemption.
By Jonathan Glover jonathanglover22 gmail. Sponsored Content.
