Police Raid Mt. Washington Business, Make Prostitution Bust Next To Recovery House
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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A new business on Mount Washington has been shut down by Pittsburgh Police for allegedly operating a house of prostitution.
Undercover detectives made a surprise visit to Youtopia Beauty Bar on Boggs Avenue, after a flood of complaints from residents and business owners alleging the business was actually a house of prostitution.
"I'm not surprised," said one woman.
"I was scared because there were so many men in and out," said another woman.
KDKA's Ralph Iannotti Reports:
Two women who live in a recovery house next door say they had some scary incidents where strange men looking for the Youtopia Beauty Bar mistakenly walked inside of their home.
"He came in the hallway and was asking us, 'Is this the massage parlor?' And we said, 'No,' and then he said, 'Well, I need something else," said one of the women.
"Also, men have gone upstairs asking where the massage parlor is, thinking that they were walking into a massage parlor. And it's not advertised as a massage parlor," said another woman.
Police confiscated cash, cameras, computers, cell phones and massage tables.
"I've actually tried to walk in there because they advertise eyelash extensions. And the doors are locked," said a woman.
Police also had complaints of drug activity there, but no drugs were found inside.
The women living in the sober environment next door told KDKA they often smelled marijuana.
"It's unsafe, it's unhealthy, it can be triggering. It's scary, you know, to the women in the house. And it's not conducive to what we were doing, and they were just not sensitive to that at all. They just didn't care," said one of the women.
Before leaving, police made sure to tear down the sign out front.
"I feel better. I feel safe now," said one of the women.
One woman working there at the time of the raid was charged with prostitution. Her name is Daja Jackson. She is 41-years-old.
Jackson was charged after a 1 p.m. appointment was set up with an undercover detective. Authorities say she allegedly agreed to perform a sex act for $250.
She was not taken out in handcuffs because she is being charged by summons.
Detectives were prepared to serve two additional prostitution arrest warrants at the business, but the women were not on the premises when undercover detectives showed up.
Sources said the raid was an outgrowth of a similar prostitution sting that led to two arrests in Squirrel Hill last November.