- Harrisville police closed Missha Massage this week for alleged illicit sexual activity.
- Assistant Police Chief Nick Taylor stated workers were victims of exploitation.
- A 2025 Utah law requiring massage businesses to list verifiable owners aims to combat exploitation.
HARRISVILLE, Weber County — A massage parlor in Harrisville was shut down after the Harrisville Police Department investigated it for alleged illicit sexual activity.
Missha Massage, located at 405 N. Harrisville Road, was closed after officers from several law enforcement agencies arrived at the business Thursday morning.
Todd Albert, who lives nearby, said he noticed something wasn't right almost immediately when the massage parlor opened about three months ago.
"Late at night. Cars in and out, guys coming in and out," Albert said.
He said the business, which was inside a house, stood out in the small community.
"I had suspicions from the start. I mean, who pops up a massage parlor right here on a corner in the middle of nowhere?" he said.
Police said they began investigating after others also became suspicious.
"We had received some anonymous complaints through our website about some illicit sexual activity taking place there in exchange for money," said Harrisville Assistant Police Chief Nick Taylor.
Inside the business, police said they found an ATM and about $14,000 in cash. Taylor said the women working are also victims.
"My belief is that they don't have a choice in this to some degree," he said. "The girls in this case that we encounter inside of these places, they're being exploited. They're victims themselves. It makes it especially tough to sort through that."
One woman found inside the business had only recently been moved to Utah, according to police.
"She had been in Utah for just a few days and had come from some neighboring states where I'm sure she was doing the same thing," Taylor said.
He said cases like this are difficult because ownership is often hidden behind layers of shell companies and operations that cross state lines.
"You can trace these back to multiple states," Taylor said.
The Utah Legislature passed a new law in 2025 requiring massage businesses to list a verifiable owner and undergo a background check to obtain a license. Police say the change should help expose who is actually behind operations like this one.
"I think that's where the new House bill is really going to shine and help expose this on that end of it. The management and the owners, because there are just so many screens behind who is actually operating them, and the victims that are inside being exploited," Taylor said.
He said smaller communities may be targeted because operators believe they can avoid attention.
"I think that's the initial reaction, maybe, is that if we go to a small town, we can stay off the radar," Taylor said.
Taylor also said every investigation can also help those being exploited.
"I think they are scared, and I think that, in a lot of cases, it might keep them from coming forward and getting help," Taylor said. "Every opportunity we have to come in contact with them is one more opportunity that they might take you up on those resources. It might be the night or the day that they're like, 'Yeah, this is it. This is my chance. I'm going to try to get help right here.'"
Albert said he was relieved the business was shut down, especially because he has young children.
"I have three kids, one baby," he said. "I think it's absolutely great. We don't want this in our neighborhood."
