Spokane Valley targets illicit massage businesses with proposed ordinance - NonStop Local KHQ

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SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. – Spokane Valley is taking action against illicit massage businesses following closures in the Inland Northwest due to illegal activities and human trafficking.

Spokane Valley Police Chief Dave Ellis emphasized the widespread nature of these illegal activities. In February, Coeur d’Alene revoked licenses for five massage parlors after uncovering evidence of sexual misconduct. This prompted Spokane Valley to take similar steps.

“They’re being asked and forced to do horrific things, and we want to make sure that we are addressing the people that are running these businesses that we are saying that it’s not going to be ok in this community,” Ellis said.

The new ordinance, presented to the Spokane Valley City Council, aims to remove human trafficking networks from the area. Ellis stated it provides "a little more teeth to it, a little more accountability."

The ordinance focuses on holding offenders accountable, making it difficult for unlicensed individuals to obtain massage business licenses, easing prosecution, and establishing a regulatory environment that deters non-compliant businesses.

A community member expressed gratitude to the council for addressing the issue, saying, “I want to say thank you all on the council so much for trying to criminalize the act of well raping these poor victims raping these women who are victims of human trafficking.”

A local massage therapist supported the ordinance but raised concerns about potential misdemeanor charges for forgetting to display a business license. “I’d like to see a little bit more protections for just kind of like self-employed massage therapists in this code,” she said.

Key changes in the ordinance include requiring business license applicants to submit massage certifications and undergo a law enforcement inspection within the first 90 days of operation.

Ellis acknowledged the complexity of these trafficking rings, stating, “It’s not like a mom-and-pop business where they own just one and then you make your arrest and you’re done with that case.”

He emphasized the broader issue, noting, “This is not just a Spokane Valley problem and it’s not just an eastern Washington problem; this is a nationwide problem.”

Ellis expressed confidence in the ordinance's effectiveness, saying, “Our goal is anyone who’s wanting to set up one of these businesses recognizes the Spokane Valley is not the place to do it and that we have a zero tolerance for it and that we will aggressively enforce our ordinances on it and don’t even come here for that.”

The ordinance had its first reading at a city council meeting last Tuesday and is set for a vote on Tuesday, April 15.