These "modeling studio/spas" are all over Houston, and EVERYONE knows what is going on inside of these places. I don't see why the cops don't raid more often.... http://www.click2houston.com/news/3925379/detail.html Vice Squad Officers Raid Clubs Accused Of Selling Sex Police Shut Down 13 Clubs, Arrest At Least 24 Employees HOUSTON -- Investigators will hold a news conference Wednesday to release the names of people involved in more than a dozen Houston-area clubs that they say were selling sex. Neighboring Business Owner Happy About Club Crackdown Houston Police Department vice squad officers shut down 13 clubs Tuesday night after they raided the facilities. At least two dozen employees were arrested during the citywide raid. Police also hauled away a van full of customer receipts. The owner of business adjacent to the Escape 5 Stress Management Club on Westheimer at Wilicrest said he was relieved to see the business shut down. "Definitely all the way across, you have to clean up all these shopping malls and strip centers for all the legitimate businesses," William Cunningham told Local 2. The people arrested during the raid will likely be charged with prostitution, according to officials.
Is it sweeps week already? Btw, glad_ken, I see I'm not the only fan of The Wire here. I love that show.
The Wire is the best show on TV. The writers come up with incredible storylines. I mean come on, Hamsterdam! - "I got that WMD!"
Hope this doesn't drag the thread to the D&D, but why were the people arrested? What crime exactly have they supposedly committed?
Is that a crime or a misdemeanor in Houston? Is it prohibited due to state laws or a city ordinance...or how? I am confused because it is more or less legal in most of Europe, so I am just trying to understand the extent to which it is considered a "crime" in Houston... Who gets arrested, only the "working girl" or also the "client" or anyone who in any way aids and abets...just wondering.
Section 43.02 of the Texas penal code. Class B misdemeanor, upgradeable to class A or even state jail felony based on priors. Both the prostitute and the john are subject to the statute. 43.03 and 43.04 apply to those who promote prostitution (i.e. pimps, etc.). Check here for more info. The cops I know conduct undercover ops to bust both the prostitutes and the johns.
Thanks SamCassell. Is it the consensus that that is the best use of the cops' time (as opposed to fighting, e.g., violent crime)? In other words, are there any voices which advocate de-criminalizing prostitution in Texas?
This is the same country that freaked out at the sight of a boob more than pictures of our troops torturing prisoners in Iraq. You make the call.
I don't get why people say this all the time. Why arent cops fighting more violent crimes. Obviously they are, and have a force large enough to enforce other laws too.
You got any stories about experiences at Treasures? A friend of mine was leaving Treasures one night and this really hot girl walks up to him and asked him if he wanted to have some "fun." He goes off with her to some shady adult movie theater on Richmond and she blows him for $60.
"Stress management club"? That's a new one. I don't particularly want to decriminalize prostitution. It's different from just allowing people to express themselves/ not being uptight. I feel that it's inherently disgusting to make it a business transaction. Is nothing sacred... If you want more "practical" reasons, there's the usual list: spread of STDs, potential for abuse of women, etc. I'm sure there will always be someone, somewhere, who decides to trade money for these services, but they can work out the arrangement on their own time. If you have legal houses of ill repute, I wonder how you explain to your kids what they are.
Yes, the answer it seems is simply to hire more cops, build more jail cells. One in five people in Texas prisons is there for a drug offense. Vice crimes are a big portion of the Texas judicial / penal system, and we take them as seriously as violent crimes.
