A Mt. Prospect massage parlor owner and a female associate were charged Wednesday, Jan. 13 for allegedly conspiring to extort thousands of dollars from a female foreign national who worked at the massage parlor and was reportedly threatened.
The defendants, Alex A. Campbell and Danielle John, were arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and Cook County Sheriff's officers. According to federal authorities, Campbell, a resident of Glenview in his mid-40s, and John, 23, of Des Plaines, were each charged with conspiracy to commit extortion and attempted extortion in a criminal complaint.
According to the complaint affidavit, the alleged extortion victim, identified as "Victim 2," came to the United States in 2007 and attended a massage therapy school in Chicago, where she met Campbell in the summer of 2008. In November 2008, Victim 2 moved into an apartment that Campbell owned and began working at Campbell's parlor, Day and Night Spa, 940 E.
Northwest Hwy. in Mt. Prospect, which was among several locations where ICE agents and Sheriff's officers executed search warrants.
Authorities said according to Victim 2, Campbell told her that he could assist with her immigration status and documents. She paid him a total of approximately $13,000 from money she earned at the spa and money sent to her by her parents for his assistance.
In March 2009, Campbell allegedly told Victim 2 that she had to pay him an additional $10,000, later raised to $16,000, or she would have to work at one of his massage parlors from opening to closing seven days a week, the complaint said.
The complaint also said Campbell allegedly verbally abused and threatened Victim 2, telling her he had a gun, and forced her to engage in sexual activity.
Victim 2 began recording a series of conversations with Campbell and John between August and October 2009, including a meeting with John on Oct. 5, 2009, at which time she allegedly gave John $1,500 to pass along to Campbell.
"There may be additional charges and we will have to monitor the case," said Mt. Prospect Village Manager Michael Janonis. "As soon as we can get a better handle on this case we will make a final determination on whether or not we will pursue revoking the business license. We feel we don't need to wait for an ultimate decision in any criminal trial to proceed from a local standpoint."
Janonis said the salon's business license went into effect Aug. 1, 2008. John's detention hearing was scheduled for yesterday (Tuesday), while Campbell's hearing is scheduled for today (Wednesday) at 3 p.m. in federal court in Chicago. Both individuals were in custody after their arrest. Extortion conspiracy carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
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