Police investigate suspected prostitution in North Texas shopping center
COLLIN COUNTY — Photographs taken by Plano Police show the dorm-like rooms with multiple beds where young women appear to be living inside the Red Rose Spa.
It operates in a tucked away corner of the Pittman Creek Shopping Center in West Plano right next to a residential neighborhood and just across the parking lot from the hair salon where QiQi Lawson works.
"A lot of times I'm scared to come out by myself," said Lawson.
Lawson has suspected prostitution was going on inside the spa and Plano Police have confirmed it with two recent arrests by undercover officers.
"When our detectives go into that place it's very evident that it's more than just massages taking place," said Ed Drain, the Plano Police Chief.
Drain has been taking on spas and massage parlors in the city that solicit sex by going after the owners and suing them for not adhering to the state's occupational code.
It's already led to one shutting down and Red Rose Spa is the latest to be served, where there's real concern about the age of the women working there.
"When you look at their advertisements it's very, very young-looking girls that are being advertised for massages and wearing scantily clad clothing," Drain said.
This week's court action accuses the spa of "...failing to employ only licensed providers of massage therapy" and orders the spa owners to turn over documents proving otherwise or face fines and closure.
The court filing also revealed that during one of the prostitution arrests "...a prominent local attorney [who admitted being a repeat customer at the establishment], was discovered lying on a table" without clothes on.
Police have also found ads and reviews for the spa on known escort websites.
CBS News Texas went inside the salon where an employee showed us a room and insisted the business was operating legally but declined an interview or to answer our questions.
Police say the living conditions inside suggest that some of the women working here may be victims of human trafficking.
"That could be an indication that these women are traveling here from other places they don't have a permanent residence here and that's also disturbing," Drain said.
Lawson welcomes the police action which may change her mind about moving to another salon.
"I'm glad ... because I wanted to leave," said Lawson. "It was becoming unsafe and my anxiety levels were going up."
