Police Shut Down All Clayton County Massage Parlors

Channel 2 Action News cameras were there as authorities swept into massage parlor-style spas in Clayton County. Two law enforcement officials say they’ll try to shut them down for good this time.

Morrow Police Chief Jeff Baker says he expects about 23 people under arrest by the end of the day and about another 20 young women were being interviewed by ICE agents to find out if they’re criminals or victims.

Authorities allege the future is not so bright for the Sun Spa.

“The sun is setting on the Sun Spa,” said Chief Jeff Baker.

But Clayton County Sheriff Victor Hill and Morrow Police Chief Jeff Baker say all 13 massage parlor-style spas in Clayton County the sheriff’s Joint Vice Task Force hit today -- after a 3 month investigation -- were fronts for prostitution.

“What we’re interested in is the living quarters that some of the girls that work here. As you can see, it’s not exactly what I would call adequate living quarters. Today the mission is to shut down all the massage parlors in Clayton County,” said Sheriff Hill.

They indicated all 13 are being closed Friday and they will attempt to pursue racketeering charges to close them permanently. They say owners and some women who helped manage the spas are being arrested on running a house of prostitution charges.

Channel 2’s Mark Winne asked a suspect is it was a house of prostitution and she said, “No.” When he asked what she was doing there she said, “Nothing, I was just stopping by.”

Channel 2 has been told most of the young women who work at the spas would be interviewed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and if some are victims of human trafficking or held against their will they will be referred to social workers – but others in the country illegally will be deported.

None of the young women have been criminally charged. An older woman at Sun Spa basically denied prostitution was going on there.