Officers say several parlor owners and johns face charges
By Lynsi Burton , SeattlePI
Updated
Kent police reportedly shut down 18 massage parlors in the city Friday morning they say served as fronts for prostitution.
Kent police reportedly shut down 18 massage parlors in the city Friday morning they say served as fronts for prostitution.
Photo: Vstock LLC/Getty Images/Tetra Images RF
Click through for a look at the violent crime rates in Washington’s 25 largest cities. The numbers were collected in 2016 by the FBI and released as part of the annual Crime in the United States report.
Click through for a look at the violent crime rates in Washington’s 25 largest cities. The numbers were collected in 2016 by the FBI and released as part of the annual Crime in the United States report.
Photo: GENNA MARTIN, SEATTLEPI
Auburn – Population: 78,400 people – Violent crime arrests
Auburn – Population: 78,400 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 4.2
Photo: KOMO News
Bellevue – Population: 142,238 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 1
Bellevue – Population: 142,238 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 1
Photo: GENNA MARTIN, SEATTLEPI
Bellingham – Population: 86,005 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 2.6
Bellingham – Population: 86,005 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 2.6
Photo: SEATTLEPI.COM
Burien – Population: 50,934 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 4.9
Burien – Population: 50,934 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 4.9
Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO, SEATTLEPI.COM
Everett – Population: 108,988 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 4.5
Everett – Population: 108,988 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 4.5
Federal Way – Population: 96,338 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 4.7
Federal Way – Population: 96,338 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 4.7
Photo: KOMO News
Kennewick – Population: 79,837 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 2.3
Kennewick – Population: 79,837 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 2.3
Photo: Bob Brawdy, AP
Kent – Population: 128,604 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 2.9
Kent – Population: 128,604 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 2.9
Photo: MOHAI Archive
Kirkland – Population: 88,627 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 0.9
Kirkland – Population: 88,627 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 0.9
Photo: Thom Weinstein, Seattlepi.com
Lacey – Population: 47,215 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 2.3
Lacey – Population: 47,215 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 2.3
Photo: LACEY YOUNG, SEATTLEPI.COM
Lakewood – Population: 60,153 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 7.5
Lakewood – Population: 60,153 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 7.5
Photo: Associated Press
Marysville – Population: 68,172 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 2.3
Marysville – Population: 68,172 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 2.3
Photo: JORDAN STEAD, SEATTLEPI.COM
Olympia – Population: 50,972 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 3.9
Olympia – Population: 50,972 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 3.9
Photo: GENNA MARTIN, SEATTLEPI.COM
Pasco – Population: 71,077 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 2.1
Pasco – Population: 71,077 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 2.1
Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO, SEATTLEPI.COM
Redmond – Population: 61,893 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 1.3
Redmond – Population: 61,893 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 1.3
Photo: Scott Eklund, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Renton – Population: 101,908 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 3.3
Renton – Population: 101,908 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 3.3
Photo: GENNA MARTIN, SEATTLEPI.COM
Richland – Population: 55,475 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 1.8
Richland – Population: 55,475 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 1.8
Sammamish – Population: 53,387 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 0.4
Sammamish – Population: 53,387 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 0.4
Photo: King County Sheriff’s Office
Seattle – Population: 700,313 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 6.1
Seattle – Population: 700,313 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 6.1
Photo: GENNA MARTIN, SEATTLEPI
Shoreline – Population: 55,905 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 1.6
Shoreline – Population: 55,905 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 1.6
Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO, SEATTLEPI.COM
Spokane – Population: 214,028 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 6.0
Spokane – Population: 214,028 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 6.0
Photo: JORDAN STEAD, SEATTLEPI.COM
Spokane Valley – Population: 95,923 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 2.8
Spokane Valley – Population: 95,923 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 2.8
Photo: Flickr Photos Used Pursuant To Creative Commons Licensing
Tacoma – Population: 209,914 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 9.5
Tacoma – Population: 209,914 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 9.5
Photo: Ted S. Warren/AP
Vancouver – Population: 174,912 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 3.9
Vancouver – Population: 174,912 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 3.9
Photo: Zachary Kaufman, AP
Yakima – Population: 94,111 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 5.3
Yakima – Population: 94,111 people – Violent crime arrests per 1,000 residents: 5.3
Photo: Associated Press
Photo: Vstock LLC/Getty Images/Tetra Images RF
Kent police reportedly shut down 18 massage parlors in the city Friday morning they say served as fronts for prostitution.
Kent police reportedly shut down 18 massage parlors in the city Friday morning they say served as fronts for prostitution.
Photo: Vstock LLC/Getty Images/Tetra Images RF
Kent police: Cops shut down 18 illegal massage parlors for prostitution activity
Kent police reportedly shut down 18 massage parlors in the city Friday morning they say served as fronts for prostitution.
In addition to serving the businesses with notices of their closure, they plan to refer owners, employees and johns for criminal charges and also may operate a sting to further deter johns from using the parlors.
RELATED: Sex ring moved hundreds of women through Seattle-area brothels
So far, police referred 76 criminal charges to municipal prosecutors and arrested four people.
Kent Police Commander Rob Scholl claimed in a Friday press statement that south King County has seen an increase in these businesses.
RELATED: Seattle lawyer Danford Grant sentenced to 25 years for massage parlor rapes
“It is no secret to individuals willing to pay for sex that unlicensed massage parlors are a place they can go for this activity,” he said.
In addition to peddling prostitution, the Kent Police Department said, the businesses also violate state licensing requirements by using unlicensed workers, failing to follow health regulations and not properly posting licenses.
SeattlePI reporter Lynsi Burton can be reached at 206-448-8381 or lynsiburton@seattlepi.com . Follow her on Twitter at @LynsiBurton_PI . Find more from Lynsi here .
