Hints of what went on in La Place were found in the outside trash container: used condoms, hand wipes, body cream and a mouthwash bottle. It wasn't long before investigators determined the "lotion-application" business at N. Federal Highway, as listed in city records, was a brothel. Police on Monday raided the office in the nondescript, two-story building and arrested four suspected prostitutes, a patron and the owner.
The Palm Beach County State Attorney's Office is determining whether to bring solicitation-related charges against another three suspected prostitutes and 42 patrons. Detectives investigating the business for more than a year built their case by pulling its garbage from the trash container, questioning customers stopped during routine traffic violations and visiting Internet chat rooms where patrons described sexual acts in the shop. Jeff Kelly said.
Employees in neighboring businesses suspected something illicit was happening at La Place after seeing men come and go for years. They saw people from all walks of life: men dressed in construction clothes and driving trucks as well as men in Polo shirts and slacks and cruising in Bentleys.
About a dozen massage parlors, escort services and other sex businesses have been investigated in Boca Raton in the past two years. Police got wind of La Place from previous investigations, advertisements and an anonymous tip. Read the Sun Sentinel's award-winning journalism.
