Six charged with prostitution in Arlington Heights
Editor's note: This story was updated to reflect that charges were dismissed against Min Sun Rockwood in 2008/
When police raided an Arlington Heights salon on Thursday and arrested six people for prostitution, they probably weren't all that surprised.
In 2001, the same salon - Singapore Salon, 308 E. Golf Road - was raided and the same salon manager - Kil Sun Fara - was arrested. Fara was also arrested for prostitution in 1997.
On Thursday, six people received various prostitution charges after an undercover sting at around 5 p.m. at the salon located in the International Plaza, said Cmdr. Ken Galinski of the Arlington Heights Police Department.
"Our officer was given a basic massage and then he was offered additional services for an additional fee," Galinski said.
While in the salon, the officer observed other customers in various stages of undress. Once the officer was solicited for the sexual act, he notified other officers waiting outside.
Pretty much the exact same thing happened in January 2001.
Back then clients came in, took a shower and received a massage, according to police reports from 2001. Toward the end of the massage, the women would offer sex for money, with prices ranging from $25 to $100, the report states.
Police arrested Fara for operating a house of prostitution, and in February 2001, the village board revoked Singapore Salon's business license.
Village Prosecutor Ernest Blomquist at that time cited a litany of prostitution-related problems at the salon dating to March 1997.
"What we have is an arrogant and defiant, vulgar and selfish slap in the face of this community," Blomquist said then. He couldn't be reached on Friday.
However, that license must have been reinstated at some point, Village Manager Bill Dixon said Friday.
"It's been quiet there until this most recent incident," he said.
Village officials will review Thursday's police report next week and then decide if the business license should be suspended or revoked, Dixon said.
There were about 12 people inside the salon when police entered on Thursday, but only six were charged because some were just in the waiting area, Galinski said.
The salon's owner, Kil Sun Fara, 60, of 1020 E. Lilac Lane in Palatine, was charged with keeping a place of prostitution. Matthew H. Mitchell, 35, of 2252 W. Berwyn Ave. in Chicago, was charged with patronizing a prostitute. Christian R. Falster, 32, of 314 N. Glenwood Ave. in McHenry, was charged with soliciting for a prostitute.
Those charged with prostitution were Min Sun Rockwood, 46, of 1748 Westview Place in Duluth, Ga.; Christina Yu, 41, of 429 E. Seegers Ave. in Arlington Heights, and Se Hi Park, 39, of 2125 S. Tonne Drive in Arlington Heights. The charges against Rockwood were later dropped.
All six were charged with misdemeanors and were released after posting 10 percent of their $1,000 bonds. They will face July 30 court dates in Rolling Meadows.
Police also seized about $4,000 in cash, Galinski said. Inside the salon there were several small rooms and two tanning beds, he said.
Word about the salon's illegal activities spread on the Internet, he said. Police heard about the salon from an informant.
"There was an underground Web site we monitored and used in our investigation," Galinski said.