ILLEGAL CONTROL of an ENTERPRISE (RICO), ASSISTING a CRIMINAL SYNDICATE, MONEY LAUNDERING, MAINTAINING a HOUSE of PROSTITUTION and PROSTITUTION all DISMISSED – State v. Ms. L (DMC No. 9580) (Maricopa County Superior Court CR2009-172651): Ms. L worked at an Asian owned massage parlor in Scottsdale, Arizona. Scottsdale PD had received calls that the massage parlor was operating as a house of prostitution. They had sent in several undercover officers who negotiated sexual contact in exchange for money. A raid was later conducted on the establishment, and numerous people were arrested. Almost every employee there was Asian, and Ms. L was accused by one of the detectives of being involved in the organization. We were able to show that Ms. L had a legitimate massage license and attended massage school in California. In addition, we were able to show photo lineups in which the Detectives could not pick out one woman from another as they all “looked alike” according to the Detectives. After a long protracted fight, all charges were dismissed against Ms. L. The main principles involved in the operation, however, went to prison.
