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Massage spa a target of nuisance lawsuit by county attorney

Those who live, work, and shop in the International District say they have had enough of one massage parlor in their community.

Trevis Hall, who works at a daycare on the same block, can go on and on with his adjectives for Mystique Spa, but his words, according to investigators, are rooted in the truth.

Hall says, "It's a sexually-oriented business. It's undercover prostitution. It's a bath house."

We went to Mystique to see if we could talk to managers at the operation. The business advertises in local papers. $60 an hour with sweet Asian girls and hot Latinas.

We couldn't get anyone to come into the lobby area that's lined with automatic teller machines if you're low on cash for your massage at Mystique Spa, But we did encounter a woman who initially greeted us without a language barrier.

Worker: "Me no English."
Reporter Isiah Carey: "You just said hello."
Worker: "Why is the camera on? No camera!
Carey: "We wanted to talk to you guys about what kind of a business you operate here." Worker: "We don't appreciate you guys recording."

Harris County investigators say this is the type of business at Mystique Spa. When they sent in undercover agents, they found condoms lined on the counter with a client list. The cost we're told is $160 a session.

That's exactly what Harris County Attorney Vince Ryan is doing. He's filed a lawsuit against Mystique Spa and the owner of the property.

Ryan says, "Too many of these locations you see these flashing red lights engaged in criminal activity."

He's using a Texas nuisance law that goes after the property owner. He says it forces the landlord to evict the tenants of businesses like Mystique Spa or face an expensive court case.

"We look at all kinds of illegal activity if there is a history of that we can than show that history and we can shut them down for that illegal activity," says Ryan.

Mystique Spa isn't the only massage parlor on Ryan's radar. He's using the nuisance law currently to file other lawsuits. He says using the civil remedy in the past has forced several illegal gambling operations and strip clubs to shut down.

And that's good news for those who live and work in the area like Trevis Hall. He says it's simply too close for comfort in the International District.

"Imagine your kids going to daycare next door to an adult business. How would you feel?," asks Hall.