On July 6th, detectives with the Fresno County Sheriff's Vice Unit arrested 65 year old Lana Phrommarath.
She was issued a citation for PC 647(b), soliciting prostitution, which is a misdemeanor. If convicted, she could face up to six months in jail and up to $1,000 in fines.
Detectives made the arrest as part of a two month long undercover investigation into two different massage parlors in Fresno. They are Sandy's Day Spa & Massage and Orchid Spa located respectively at 453 and 473 W. Shaw Avenue. The businesses are situated within an apartment building in the Fig Garden area, approximately 40 feet from each other. Undercover detectives went into these two massage parlors on several occasions after receiving allegations from citizens that they were offered multiple solicitations of sexual acts from the masseuses.
Detectives contacted four people who were working at the two massage businesses. They developed reasonable information to arrest Phrommarath, the owner of Sandy’s Day Spa and Massage.
While conducting these types of investigations, Sheriff’s Office detectives are also looking into the possibility of human trafficking occurring within these types of establishments. Human trafficking is commonly referred to as a form of modern day slavery. This act is often used for sex trafficking and labor trafficking. These are growing problems both locally and nationally, which subject the victims to extremely dangerous situations.
Sex trafficking is the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision or obtaining of a person for the purpose of a commercial sex act. The commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud or coercion or in which the person induced to perform the sex act has not yet turned 18 years old.
Labor trafficking is the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision or obtaining of a person for labor or services. This is done through the use of force, fraud or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage or slavery.
Fresno County Sheriff's Office detectives are continuing with this investigation and are also currently looking into other allegations of prostitution at massage parlors within Fresno County.
Anyone with information involving illegal activity at massage parlors or human trafficking is asked to call the Fresno County Sheriff's Office hotline at 1-800-660-1086. You will remain anonymous.