Judge orders creditors to reveal names of massage parlor customers

A Westmoreland County judge Friday ordered credit card companies to turn over 111 names of customers -- people who could be called to testify publicly about whether they were paying for sex at area massage parlors.

The 111 credit cards were used at the Paradise Health Spa, 13379 Route 30, North Huntingdon Township, one of six massage parlors that were raided on Feb. 12 as part of a prostitution sting that netted more than 20 arrests at spas in Hempfield, Unity, North Huntingdon and Salem townships.

Defense attorney Jerome Tierney represents Chae Tok Swaboski and Bok Ja Munson. Swaboski is the owner of the Paradise Health Spa, and Munson told police she managed the business there. Swaboski faces charges of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity, corrupt organizations and prostitution. Munson is charged with dealing in corrupt organizations and prostitution.

Tierney said he intends to interview the credit card customers to determine if they paid for sex, or if they were there as legitimate massage clients.

"Nothing is sacred now," he said.

Once the credit card companies turn over the names, addresses and phone numbers to Tierney, he was instructed to give a copy of the information to District Attorney John Peck as well.

However, Judge Rita D. Hathaway barred the defense or prosecution from disclosing the names to the public.

She said that Tierney needs the names in order to prepare a defense for his two clients.

"Balancing their right to privacy against your clients' right to a fair trial brings the scale down in your favor," Hathaway said.

Peck said detectives sought disclosure warrants from judges for five of the clients, whom he said were chosen at random. All of them, he said, admitted to being solicited for sexual contact in exchange for money, then using their credit cards to pay for that contact.

"At some point it became repetitive. They all agreed that these were houses of prostitution," he said.

He also expressed concern that the men's rights not be violated.

"My concern is for these individuals' right to privacy under the Fourth Amendment. This might become public information somehow," Peck said.

But Tierney argued he was duty-bound to investigate the prosecution claims.

"According to the commonwealth theory, these individuals were clearly violating the law, thus forfeiting their right to privacy," he said.