Police analyzing evidence taken from Massage Canter

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A day after police and FBI agents raided the Massage Center at 1320 W Maple Street as part of an investigation into allegations of prostitution, Police Lt. Stanley Strausser said Friday that he doesn’t anticipate any charges being filed in the case for at least a few weeks.
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Police detectives are going through three pickup truck loads of evidence seized from the business. That includes 14 massage tables, a computer, records and pornographic videos, said Strausser. A list of the items will be filed with the Canton Municipal Court, which Strausser said issued the search warrant. He added that investigators would have to get separate search warrants to examine the computer and any seized electronic devices.
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Either the FBI or the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation will perform a forensics analysis of the computer, Strausser said.
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Strausser said people who said they were customers anonymously reported to his department more than a year ago that women at The Massage Center were selling sexual acts.
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Portage County sheriff’s deputies raided another Massage Center location in Suffield Township at the same time as the North Canton raid.
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Strausser said his detectives will meet with Portage County sheriff’s investigators Monday to discuss the evidence they seized.
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Once the evidence is analyzed, they’ll discuss possible charges with the Canton prosecutor’s office.
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A message seeking comment was left at a number listed on Massage Center’s Facebook page.
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Strausser said he drove by the West Maple Street location three times Friday and saw only three cars there. He said before the raid, he’d often see a dozen cars in the parking lot.
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“It looks like there’s no activity,†he said. “That’s what we want.â€
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Reach Robert at 330-580-8327 or on Twitter: @rwangREP

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