Police make arrest in suspected prostitution at Longmont massage parlor - Longmont Times-Call

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Longmont Police investigate a massage parlor linked to prostitution near Ken Pratt Boulevard and Main Street in July. (Matthew Jonas / Staff Photographer)


Boulder County sheriff's deputies on Wednesday morning arrested a woman following a yearlong investigation into a prostitution operation advertising under the guise of a massage parlor.

Kayla Lenthall, 43, is accused of keeping a place of prostitution and pandering, which are both misdemeanors. She is not yet scheduled to be formally charged, according to the Boulder County District Attorney's Office.

An arrest warrant affidavit shows that Longmont detectives launched an investigation in October 2016 after someone tipped them off about an advertisement on backpage.com for Yoshiko Therapy located at 611 Ken Pratt Blvd. The tip said the ad on a website known to be used for prostitution described the business as having "young and new girls."

Police throughout the year interviewed at least five men, including a registered sex offender, who admitted to paying extra money for sexual services and finding the business on backpage.com.

In July, police executed a search warrant of the business and interviewed three women working there, including Lenthall, who identified herself as the manager.

Lenthall told police she started working at Yoshiko Therapy when it opened in July 2016. She said she would make $1,000 a week and gave the rest of the money to an unknown cab driver with a private company who arrived to collect it. She also denied knowing anything about possible prostitution.


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"When Kayla was asked about what occurs in the back rooms and statements provided by the various males leaving the business, she stated she did not know what goes on in the back," an officer wrote in the affidavit. "Kayla advised she only works the front room and has no supervision of what occurs during the massages."

The other two employees interviewed by police said they started working earlier that week. One woman denied working for sex, though she said some men had asked for sexual favors. She also said they had been living in the building.

Police found several boxes of condoms, receipts for condoms, at least $2,795 in cash and multiple bottles of Listerine. They also found an unwrapped condom in one of the massage rooms and three used condoms wrapped in aluminum foil and stuffed into cigarette boxes.

Reviews of the business posted on another website similar to backpage.com are from men who received sexual services for tips between $100 and $150.

According to the affidavit, a Federal Bureau of Investigation special agent found no state wages on file for Lenthall. Colorado Department of Labor records also did not have wages on file for the past six years.

Amelia Arvesen: 303-684-5212, arvesena@times-call.com or twitter.com/ameliaarvesen


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