A man police allege was pimping a 16-year-old girl through a Toronto spa appeared in Newmarket court on Saturday.
York Regional Police said the man owns a North York massage parlor, Blue Pearl Spa, where men can get sex for cash.
Police arrested Salvatore "Sal" Joseph Badali, 43, on Friday outside his mother’s home near Kipling Avenue and Eglinton Avenue West on Friday.
“Are you sure there’s not a mistake?” the man asked police during the arrest.
Court records show the suspect has had previous run-ins with the law including convictions of careless use of a firearm, forcible confinement, extortion and assault.
Police were acting on a tip about the 16-year-old that came in on Monday.
York Regional Police Det. Const. Shane MacKenzie said they found the 16-year-old allegedly working in the spa located north of Yorkdale Mall, on Dufferin Street.
“We entered the spa and we did locate the female in question, confirming that she was only 16 years of age, and that she was working as a prostitute at the time,” MacKenzie said.
After arresting the man, police went to both his home and the spa, where they allegedly found a client who was engaged in a sex act.
A website for the business contains a disclaimer, saying that Blue Pear Spa is a licensed body-rub parlour.
“We in no way offer adult entertainment services of any kind,” the website says.
MacKenzie said there could be other victims.
“For the most part, they're doing it out of desperation and all too often they become victims of exploitation and certainly the younger they are, the more susceptible they are to that,” he said.
Police also arrested a 42-year-old woman in connection with the case.
Badali was charged with procuring a person to become a prostitute and living off the avails of juvenile prostitutions.
Police are asking anyone with information about Blue Pearl Spa, including anyone who worked there, to call the York Regional Police vice unit with tips, or Crime Stoppers anonymously.
With a report from CTV Toronto’s Tamara Cherry
