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Two women say they were raped during job interviews at a Salt Lake massage parlor. Tonight, police are looking for more victims, and looking at the business as a possible front for prostitution.
David Anthony "Jay" Burgess, 27, is charged with two counts of rape and was wanted on a warrant dealing with prostitution. Police say Burgess found his victims by posting online job ads.
Police say the massage parlor Burgess managed specializes in Reiki massage -- a Japanese technique that involves healing through touch.
The business' owner says this is all a big misunderstanding.
"I have pretty girls who do Reiki," owner Trevon Jackson said.
You won't get your traditional massage experience at The Reiki Specialist. The therapists, all women who work in bikinis, provide a unique "sensual touch," according to the business' Web site.
Profiles of each therapist detail physical descriptions and invite men down for a visit. According to Jackson, it's just a way to bring in customers.
"I am fully legit. I abide by all the rules. As you can see, it's clean. It's not messy. There's nothing shady going on here," Jackson said.
But the business is now being investigated for exploitation of prostitution after Burgess was arrested.
Police say Burgess managed The Reiki Specialist. He allegedly used help-wanted ads on craigslist.net and MySpace to get the women to come in for job interviews.
"You think about going to a job interview, you're trying to put your best face forward and you're very accommodating. And then you throw into the mix this massage environment," said Lara Jones, spokeswoman for the Salt Lake City Police Department.
Burgess, who was also wanted on a felony warrant for exploitation of prostitution, has a prior history. In 2006, he pleaded guilty to sexual battery.
"He was mixed up in something. But to my understanding, it was taken care of. He was coming into work every day," Jackson said.
Jackson says the police are mixed up, that he and Burgess were operating separate businesses out of the same office.
But police say they're looking at anything and everything that goes on inside The Reiki Specialist's walls.
"He's been arrested on a felony warrant of exploitation of prostitution. That means a bit more than massage was going on," Jones said.
If you have any information about this case, if you were a victim or know someone who may have been, please contact Salt Lake City police at 799-3000.
E-mail: sdallof@ksl.com
