City Pages – 2011-09-09
By Mike Mullen
Chulalak Ratsbouth, a massage therapist based out of Woodbury is alleging that police investigators used false information to obtain a search warrant. What’s more, her lawyer says undercover cops didn’t just check the place out, but got hour-long erotic massages during their investigation.
Chulaluk Ratsbouth, a 28-year-old Plymouth resident, worked under the name “Victoria” at Oriental Touch massage in Plymouth. Undercover officers visited that business two times in April, where they attempted to find out if any extra services were being offered.
When the first undercover asked Ratsbouth for sexual conduct, she shut him down. But the second says Ratsbouth did touch his genitals, and used her breasts as part of the massage, the Pioneer Press reports.
Ratsbouth is facing a gross misdemeanor charge of prostitution, but her lawyer, Ryan Garry, has filed motions arguing that Ratsbouth firstly denies any sexual contact, and, on the other hand, argues that any evidence against her was the result of entrapment, according to the Pioneer Press.
Woodbury Police Commander Jay Alberio told the Pioneer Press the search warrant was obtained on good information, and the charges against Ratsbouth are legitimate.
“Our detectives aren’t going to falsify anything with the goal of charging someone with a crime,” Alberio said.
Another line of Ratsbouth’s argument is that the second undercover officer lingered a bit too long: The alleged sexual contact started at the very beginning of the session, but the cop stuck out the whole 60 minute session.
Garry told the Pioneer Press that the two undercover officers should appear at the next court hearing for questioning, especially the one who alleges sexual contact took place. Among the questions Garry wants to ask: Why did the undercover let this continue for the full hour?
“The moment this sexual touching supposedly occurred was the moment this thing should have stopped. But this guy let it go on and on and on,” Garry said.
Ratsbouth’s next court hearing is September 28.
It goes without saying that this story won’t have a happy ending.