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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Flint businessman found guilty of running brothel out of massage parlor
By Matt Fahr, For The Macomb Daily
POSTED: 05/21/15, 7:54 PM EDT | UPDATED: ON 05/21/2015 4 COMMENTS
Daniel Robin
FILE PHOTO
Daniel Robin FILE PHOTO
The purported owner of a massage spa in northern Macomb County was found guilty Thursday on charges of keeping a house of prostitution.
A Macomb County Circuit Court jury deliberated for about two hours before returning a guilty verdict for Daniel Robin, who reportedly is the owner of Washington Wellness Spa in Washington Township.
Two workers at the spa -- Oksun Hughes and Kyung Moore -- were arrested on prostitution charges February 14, 2014 after deputies from the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office and other federal agencies executed a search warrant on the business located in the Washington Plaza at 27 Mile Road and Van Dyke Avenue
Robin, 64 of Flint, surrendered to the Sheriff’s Office two days later.
Members of the sheriff’s office undercover Special Enforcement Team (SET) initiated an investigation into the establishment after authorities received complaints that employees at the spa were illegally soliciting sex acts in exchange for cash.
Eleven witnesses took the stand in the Mount Clemens courtroom over two days of testimony. Only one was called by defense attorney Norbert Leonard.
Detective Sergeant Gary Wiegand said over two months starting in December 2013 and January 2014 authorities observed activity that “was exactly the same” as at other businesses fronting as brothels.
SET team supervisor Lt. David Daniels testified about documents such as building blueprints, bank statements and massage business applications seized at the spa as well as Robin’s residence in Flint. Simultaneous search warrants had been executed at both locations.
When questioned at his home, Robin denied knowing about the illicit activities, but then acknowledged he knew of the Washington spa, Daniels testified. Daniels said the defendant went further in admitting he may have known about what was really going on inside and said “whatever happens between a man and a woman behind closed doors is their business.”
Throughout the trial, Leonard characterized Robin simply as a building subcontractor who facilitated opening the Washington spa and another in Wyandotte. Leonard said Robin worked with his common-law wife, Sun Ok Morales, to help Hughes open the Washington spa.
He said Hughes was responsible for what happened inside the business since she was the lone shareholder in Washington Wellness Spa LLC, signed the lease and wrote all the checks for rent and utilities.
Assistant Macomb County Prosecutor William Harding called Gallo Companies owner Tony Gallo and Gallo accountant Denise Trombley to the stand to testify that Robin acted as the main contact and agent for the spa.
“He was the person we always went to,” said Trombley, who worked with Robin from his initial interest in the Washington Plaza space in July 2013 through the February arrests at the spa. “He was the major contact from start to finish.”
Harding also tied Robin to the Wyandotte Wellness Spa, where no arrests have been made, by showing his name was still on the lease at the Downriver business over a year after they had opened. Leonard claimed he had only done work at the site, but also facilitated that deal between Morales and another woman.
“He was far more involved in that business (the Washington spa) than simply in the role of a contractor,” Harding told the jury during closing arguments. “He knew what was going on in those parlors.”
Leonard countered in his closing statement by saying, “He (Robin) is not in the business of opening massage parlors that conduct illegal activity.”
It was not a statement that appeared to work on the jury who quickly returned with a guilty verdict.
Robin had no reaction as the verdict was read convicting him of the felony that carries up to a five-year sentence. He remains free on bond and will be sentenced on June 30 at 8:30 a.m.
Last edited by untanglingwebs on Wed Jun 20, 2018 12:17 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Wed Jun 20, 2018 10:33 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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| Robin did pay consistently on his court ordered restitution for the OK Industries case until he filed bankruptcy. His common law wife Sun Morales had something to do with the financials of OK Industries. |
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Wed Jun 20, 2018 12:15 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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17-041968-FH JUDGE FULLERTON FILE 09/11/17 ADJ DT 09/08/17 CLOSE 11/22/17
GENESEE COUNTY SCAO:SEC B LINE 03
D 001 MORALES,SUN,OK DOB: 05/30/58 SEX: M RACE: U
927 KNAPP ST CTN:961690030701 TCN:
FLINT, MI 48503 SID: PIN:MI STATE POLICE
ATY: CLOTHIER,JAY N., PROSECUTOR: SCHUETTE,BILL,
P-59487 810-767-0024 RETAINED P-32532
LOWER DISTRICT: 6700 CTY# 25 CASE# 16TC0627FY PRELIM: WAIVE 09/08/11
INCARCERATION DATE: DISTRICT ARRAIGNMENT: |
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Wed Jun 20, 2018 12:15 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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09/08/17 MCCABE 00099 MISCELLANEOUS HEARING
HEARING HELD IN DISTRICT COURT
PLEAD GUILTY
HEARING HELD IN DISTRICT
COURT. PLEA AGREEMENT:
DEFT ORIGIONALLY CHARGED
WITH 8 COUNTS OF GAMBLING
OPERATIONS; 8 COUNTS OF
COMPUTER TO COMMIT A CRIME &
8 COUNTS GAMBLING HOUSE.
THE DEFT TO PLEA GUILTY TO
1 COUNT OF GAMBLING
OPERAIONT & 1 COUNT OF
GAMBLING HOUSE & IN TURN
THE PEOPLE WILL DISMISS THE
REMAINING CHARGES & THE DEFT
IS TO PROVIDE TRUTHFUL
TESTIMONY & COOPERATION WITH
INVESTIGATION & THE DEFT
WILL FORFEIT ALL SEIZED
PROPERTY & FUNDS FOR A PLEA
OF GUILTY IN DISTRICT COURT.
NO SENTENCE AGREEMENT, 7411
OR HYTA TO APPLY &
RESTITUTION TO BE DETERMINED.
COURT SET SENTENCE DATE.
2 00099 SET NEXT DATE FOR: 11/06/17 2:00 PM
SENTENCING
3 FULLERTON *SPECIAL PLEA*
FELONY PLEA TAKEN IN DISTRICT COURT
BINDOVER RECEIVED ON 9/11/17.
A/A: MI STATE POLICE
4 RETURN TO CIRCUIT COURT
5 09/22/17 TRANSCRIPT OF PROCEEDINGS FILED
PLEA, BEFORE JUDGE MCCABE
ON FRIDAY, 9/8/17.
6 10/04/17 STIPULATION & JUDGMENT OF
FORFEITURE FILED
7 REMOVE CALENDAR DATES
8 10/31/17 CERTIFICATION AND RETURN OF ORDER
FOR DNA SAMPLE FILED
9 11/03/17 SET NEXT DATE FOR: 11/06/17 2:00 PM
SENTENCING |
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Wed Jun 20, 2018 12:22 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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| Many in the community have heard about a fig gambling bust coming. Some are upset that it is taking so long. |
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Wed Jun 20, 2018 12:25 pm |
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