Providence aims to crack down on illegal massage parlors  

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) – The Providence City Council on Monday voted to close a legal loophole that allowed for unlicensed massage parlors, businesses that police say often function as illegal brothels.

The council approved an amendment to the city’s existing law around massage parlors that will require businesses that provide “massage-like” services to obtain a license from the city before they can operate in Providence.

“Unfortunately, here in Providence, there are parlors operating as fronts for the sex trade,” Councilman David Salvatore told WPRI.com. “The City Council worked closely with the Providence police, particularly Captain Anthony Sauro, and the law department, to create this amendment which aims to give public safety officials more control over illegal activity.”

The city already requires massage parlors and their employees to obtain a license from the Board of Licenses, but many businesses were allowed to circumvent the process by slightly altering the names of services provided, according to the city’s law department.

“They were operating brothels and calling them whatever they wanted to,” Sean Creegan, who works in the city solicitor’s office, told the City Council Ordinance Committee last week. “They could call them body works or they called them table showers.”

Creegan said the law changes will likely force “illegitimate” massage parlors to close because the businesses won’t be able qualify for a $100 license from the city. Individual employees at massage parlors will also be required to pay $60 for a license.

Sauro, the police captain who worked with city officials to craft the law changes, told the Ordinance Committee the city currently has nine massage parlors, “obviously all doing prostitution.” He said some of the parlors are also involved in human trafficking.

Providence officials spent years battling massage parlors that were thought to be functioning as brothels until 2009 when state lawmakers closed a loophole that allowed indoor prostitution. Over the last year, Providence police have placed a renewed focus on prostitution after several high-profile incidents where underage girls were found to be involved in the sex trade.

Salvatore, who represents the city’s Elmhurst neighborhood, said he hopes the changes will decrease sex trafficking in the city.

“Tightening the rules and discouraging establishments from allowing prostitution preserves our quality of life, but most importantly mitigates sex trafficking to protect women and young girls,” Salvatore said.

Dan McGowan ( [email protected] ) covers politics, education and the city of Providence for WPRI.com. Follow him on Twitter: @danmcgowa