HIALEAH, Fla. – An undercover investigation has led to the arrest of a Miami man who investigators said ran multiple brothels, including one in a spa located next to a child daycare center. And, he’s facing more than 100 charges ranging from solicitation to money laundering to maintaining houses of prostitution.
According to investigators from the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office, Jose Amilcar Leon was arrested Thursday in Hialeah on money laundering, solicitation, and multiple prostitution charges. Investigators also learned this past week that there was a second brothel being run out of an apartment in Doral. Other apartments were also used for the purpose of sex solicitation, according to investigators.
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At the first location advertised as a spa, Leon, would post on social media platforms advertisements for six women for prostitution. Customers would then be directed to the spa to complete money and sexual transactions. That location was next to a childcare center, according to an arrest warrant.
Surveillance and investigation revealed that Leon was the person in charge of the illegal business. On Jan. 21, 2020, an undercover law enforcement officer negotiated a price for a specific sex act and was directed to the spa for the acts in exchange for money.
A witness who previously served as the defendants “lieutenant,” according to the report, provided investigators with testimony that the defendant ran multiple locations and that women were recruited on craigslist and in advertisements. The witness said Leon would interview the women and put them to work in “shifts.” The investigation turned up several envelopes that witnesses said would have women’s “stage names” on them with money from the Johns inside that Leon would collect.
It was also learned that in September 2020, Leon was arrested for a domestic violence incident and jail calls revealed he then solicited his daughter to continue to run his brothels and illegal activities.
Investigators also discovered that on Wednesday, May 19, Leon contacted several witnesses and requested they destroy ledgers of his illegal activities to keep them from landing in the hands of law enforcement. They also believe that Leon was trying to flee the country attempting to get $25,000 in cash and his passport “through hidden means.” Investigators intercepted the fugitive attempt.
Leon is charged with numerous felony counts including one that lists 75 counts of receiving customers for the purpose of prostitution under Florida statute 796.07(c).