PLEASANTON — Police here raided a suspected brothel last week, after an investigation that started with an anonymous tip and ended with the discovery of an online prostitution ad.
The Oct. 9 raid occurred on the 4400 block of Hacienda Drive in Pleasanton, where police had been tipped off to the existence of a brothel being operated out of one of the apartment units, authorities said. In addition to receiving an anonymous tip, police also spoke with staffers at the apartment complex who verified there was suspicious activity at the unit.
Before the raid, police observed a man leaving the apartment, who confessed that an ad for “call girls” in Pleasanton led him to the unit, authorities said. The man claimed the operators were charging $280 an hour for sexual services.
As part of the investigation, authorities identified the lease holder, who is believed to be running the operation. He has not yet been charged, court records show.
The inside of the unit contained two beds separated by a curtain, multiple surveillance cameras and other indicia typical of brothels, authorities said.