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February 12, 2012

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County suspends business licenses after alleged sex scams

By Kyle B. Hansen (contact)

Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2010 | 1:05 p.m.

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Metro Police asked Clark County commissioners Tuesday to change the way the county licenses reflexology businesses after police raided three such businesses this past summer accused of running sex scams.

Commissioners voted to approve suspensions of the businesses’ licenses for six months while the criminal cases go through the court system.

Metro Police raided the three “clip joints” Aug. 4 and arrested 20 people. Police allege the businesses would imply that customers would get sex if they paid money, but after paying, they would be left waiting, and then kicked out.

The county suspended the licenses of Club Exclusive II, 3595 S. Polaris Ave.; Sensations, 3233 S. Industrial Road; and Entyce, 3915 W. Twain Ave.

The license of Club Exclusive at 4620 Arville Street also was suspended.

The business owners asked that the suspensions be continued for six months while the criminal cases go to court.

Commissioners asked county staff to return with a status check in six months.

In the meantime, the businesses must remain closed and the owners cannot apply for other business licenses.

The owners of Club Exclusive and Sensations appeared before the commission, saying they agreed with the suspensions.

Currently, reflexology businesses are allowed to operate in the county under a general business license, which does not require inspections of the establishment or background checks for the owners.

The city of Las Vegas requires reflexology businesses to have a regulated license, which includes a full background check, and puts reflexology businesses under the same requirements as massage businesses.

Metro asked commissioners to change the county’s licensing so it mirrors the city’s requirements.

Police said the businesses would pay taxi drivers a kickback to deliver male tourists. Employees would then use vague language to imply the customers would get sex.

“When customers arrive at a clip joint the language is kept purposely vague. That creates a perpetual upsell,” Detective Jeff Clark told commissioners.

For example, the employees would tell the victims that if they paid more money, they could have their “lower extremities” massaged, Clark said.

When the customers began to complain about the lack of service, bouncers would kick them off the property, police said.

Police said their investigation included an undercover detective posing as a cab driver. He was paid $120 for dropping off a passenger at one of the businesses.

Two undercover detectives also posed as applicants at one of the businesses and were told by an employee that the business was nothing but a hustle, police said.

“It’s just a hustle, that’s all we do. … Cab drivers con them into coming here, then we try to get as much money out of them as we can,” the employee said in a recording played for commissioners.

Two other detectives posed as customers and when they began to complain about a lack of service, the manger threatened to pull out his gun if they didn’t leave the business, police said.

Police said they have identified victims from all 50 states and from 40 countries.

The businesses damage the local economy by giving tourists a bad experience in Las Vegas, Clark said.

Many of the victims didn’t report the incidents to police because they were embarrassed when they learned prostitution was illegal in Las Vegas, Clark said.

But now that police have begun to investigate, some of them have come forward and are cooperating, he said.

Discussion: 2 comments so far…

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  1. By sevenhills
    Sept. 8, 2010
    1:15 p.m.
    Flag

    "learned prostitution was illegal in Las Vegas".

    Yah, getting your education from Hollywood has that effect.

  2. By mred
    Sept. 8, 2010
    1:35 p.m.
    Flag

    World travelers will go to other destinations in Europe and Asia were prostitution and gambling are both legal. Say good bye to some more high rollers Vegas.

    What do you think? Dave Ramsey radio show listeners are coming to Vegas to spend BIG money?

    The prudish "Metro leadership" demographic is not coming to Vegas, against the MOB Museum, against legal brothels, want traffic cameras. (just taken down in Phoenix) They drive away business.

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