POLK COUNTY, Fla. — Polk County Sheriff's deputies say they arrested 21 people at 12 different massage spas for alleged prostitution-related offenses.
Deputies reportedly conducted a two-day undercover operation Monday where they went to various spas in Davenport, Dundee, Lakeland and Winter Haven. Officials say during these massages, 20 massage therapists offered to commit sexual acts for money during the sessions, according to a news release.
One suspect battered an undercover detective after he denied her advances, the release read. Another was arrested for resisting arrest.
"We want our communities to be safe and free from illegal activities, and criminals who take advantage of people," Sheriff Grady Judd said in a statement. "These arrests are part of our ongoing efforts to hold those who break the law accountable. We’re focused on keeping our neighborhoods safe, and we’ll keep cracking down on businesses that operate outside the law."
The 21 people arrested were mostly charged with misdemeanors of offering to commit prostitution and unlicensed massage therapy. They ranged in age from 31 to 64 years old.
