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St. Charles to require new massage license after prostitution arrests

Logging three prostitution arrests during stings at three different massage parlors this spring proved to be a wake-up call for St. Charles officials.

Addressing the growing problem while not harming legitimate businesses has been a challenge with more massage parlors opening in the city in the past two years. City police officials now think they have the answer.

If aldermen approve the plan, massage therapists in the city must either have membership in a professional massage organization, be a graduate of a massage therapy school with 500 hours of study and 100 hours of clinical practice or have a state-issued license.

Mayor Ray Rogina said the proposed rules are designed to specifically eradicate prostitution.

"We are not here to throw up roadblocks at our current massage therapists, our hospitals or our (athletic trainers)," Rogina said. "We're trying to get at these fly-by-night operations that come into our community. I don't think too many people who conduct legitimate, honorable business activities have anything to worry about."

One thing to worry about might be the proposed $500 annual license fee to get a massage business license from the city. No such business could operate in the city without a city license if the proposed rules become law.

There would also be a new requirement for periodic cleanliness inspections of the businesses from city building inspectors. Prices for all available services must be posted, no one younger than 18 can be employed by a massage business and all employees must wear nontransparent clothes so that entire torso and genital areas are covered, under the proposed laws.

Deputy Police Chief Steve Huffman the proposed rules were developed from examples in several suburban communities. Actual licensing of individual massage therapists is regulated by the state, Huffman said. So even in the event police make a prostitution arrest at a massage business, that doesn't necessarily shutter the operation. Often the business will just bring in another employee who may also engage in prostitution. The city's best recourse to address the prostitution problem is regulation of the overall business, he said.

If the aldermen approve the rules, the city's liquor commission would review license violations and recommend punishments to Rogina, who would take on the responsibility of being the city's massage commissioner. The punishments could include fines of up to $500 per violation and/or suspension or revocation of the massage business license.

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