Martin County cracks down on 7 massage parlors operating as prostitution fronts

STUART, Fla. (CBS12) — Following a multi-year undercover operation, deputies with the Martin County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) have identified seven spas doubling as fronts for prostitution, leading to nearly two dozen arrests.

At first glance, many of these storefronts appear just like any ordinary massage parlor, with signs advertising hot stone treatments and an 'open' sign glowing outside. However, behind these closed doors, deputies say it's actually a hub for prostitution.

“Sometimes justice has to be served cold. And it's taken me this long, and my good detectives this long, to work up these cases and finally rid us of what I think is a real scourge here in our county,” Martin County Sheriff William Snyder said. “I don’t want to be specific but there are social sites where you can get on and actually look for illicit massage parlors and they're rated.”

Last year, the owner of Oriental Spas was arrested for money laundering and running a place for prostitution after authorities allegedly discovered two women living inside her spa at North Stuart Plaza.