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Public Safety News
Harris County Attorney's Office
News Release
Friday, July 27, 2012

 
County Attorney Vince Ryan seeks closure of Spa for Human Trafficking
“Customers” may be named as Defendants

County Attorney Vince Ryan has filed a lawsuit against Diamond Spa, a massage parlor located on Kuykendahl Road in northwest Houston, Texas claiming that it is an unlicensed massage parlor engaged in prostitution, human trafficking, and organized criminal activity.

“Law enforcement officers tell us that just arresting the criminals doesn’t solve the problem. When a place allows criminal acts to continue, criminals keep coming back. You must close down the location to fix the problem.” Ryan said.

The Office of Harris County Attorney Vince Ryan has been working with Precinct Four Constable Ron Hickman’s Regulatory Enforcement Unit and Sheriff Adrian Garcia’s Vice Division to close businesses that are public nuisances. The lawsuits typically are filed against businesses that engage in habitual criminal activity, such as prostitution, alcohol and beverage violations, and the unlicensed operation of massage establishments.

Additionally, the County Attorney is reviewing with these law enforcement agencies and others the possibility of naming the “customers” as defendants. (See paragraph 15 of attached lawsuit)

“Without the customers’ money, these crimes would stop,” Ryan emphasized.

The lawsuit claims that Diamond Spa has been cited at least seven times since January 2011 for violations related to unlicensed massage services. The Vice Division of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office has conducted undercover operations resulting in arrests for prostitution at this location.

The lawsuit seeks to have the judge order the business, its owners, and the owners of the shopping center stop the illegal activity.

A copy of the lawsuit can be viewed at: http://www.harriscountytx.gov/CmpDocuments/90/News%20Articles/Diamond%20Original%20Petition-file%20marked.pdf.





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