A two-day undercover sting conducted by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office resulted in the arrest of 21 individuals on charges primarily related to alleged prostitution across 12 massage parlors. The operation, named “Operation Skin So Soft,” aimed to ensure compliance with the law at massage establishments in the Davenport, Dundee, Lakeland, and Winter Haven areas.
Sheriff Grady Judd explained that the operation was inspired by a comment made to an undercover detective by a massage therapist, who remarked on the detective’s soft skin, not realizing they were law enforcement. “One of these ladies said, ‘Oh, your skin’s so soft. You must work inside,’” Judd recounted during a press conference. “Well, sometimes we work in massage parlors.”
#Breaking Operation Skin So Soft – PCSO undercover Vice detectives arrest 21 individuals at 12 different Asian massage parlors for prostitution-related offenses
Click here to hear Sheriff Judd’s comments: https://t.co/1Bx9HqTihj
Click here to read more: https://t.co/RkaPPPCov4 pic.twitter.com/RnrvdOdc7A
— Polk County Sheriff 🚔 Grady Judd (@PolkCoSheriff) November 7, 2024
The undercover effort, which involved auditing 22 massage parlors for compliance, found that 12 establishments were not operating within the law and were allegedly offering sexual acts for money. Those arrested range in age from 31 to 64 and face charges such as offering to commit prostitution, unlicensed massage therapy, resisting arrest, battery, and false imprisonment—the latter being the only felony charge, while the rest are misdemeanors.
Among the arrestees was a woman accused of becoming “extremely aggressive” while attempting to initiate sexual acts with an undercover detective, according to Judd. “This particular individual tried to have full sex with one of our detectives and was, in fact, extremely aggressive,” he stated.
Sheriff Judd concluded his press conference with a warning: “My message is, if you don’t wanna go to jail, don’t do it. My message is also to potential customers… your picture can be up on the next board too. But it’s a choice.”
All told, the sting highlights the Sheriff’s Office’s ongoing commitment to cracking down on illegal activities and ensuring compliance at businesses operating under the guise of legitimate services.
