Police: British tourist attacked in known ‘clip joint’

A 25-year-old British tourist was arguing for a refund of his entrance fee to the Red Devil Fitness Spa before he was stabbed Sunday by a security guard at the business Las Vegas police describe as a known "clip joint."

The business, at 3430 Polaris Ave., near Spring Mountain Road, bills itself as a provider of reflexology, where customers have their hands and feet rubbed.

But Las Vegas police said the spa's business practices had made it part of an ongoing racketeering investigation.

Clientele of clip joints generally are tourists who are impaired by alcohol, drugs or a combination of both, a Las Vegas police news release said Tuesday. The locations usually are suggested by taxi drivers who tell tourists that they can get sex for money.

The British tourist, who was stabbed in the head and abdomen, had been dropped off by a cab at the Red Devil spa early Sunday.

He was taken to University Medical Center; his condition was unknown late Tuesday afternoon.

The security guard was identified in the police report as an "unknown black male adult."

Police spokeswoman Laura Meltzer said she had not been made aware of the arrest of a suspect in the stabbing as of late Tuesday afternoon. The stabbing victim has not been charged with a crime.

Clip joint victims usually are charged a "one-time fee for membership" that generally starts at $200 per person, police said. They are falsely led to believe that prostitution will occur before being intimidated into leaving or forced off the property, police said.

Prostitution is illegal in Clark County.

Las Vegas police on Tuesday released the names of five women and one man affiliated with the spa who have been arrested. All faced charges of racketeering, obtaining money under false pretenses, multiple transactions involving fraud or deceit and conspiracy to commit racketeering.

Police arrested: Brooke Dugan, 21; Hope Tello, 23; Lyeisha Godfrey, 19; Nicole Cramer, 34; James Watkins, 40; and Christine Hall, whose age was unavailable.

According to a police report, the British tourist became agitated after soliciting sex and receiving the "run around" by employees. That's when he threw a water bottle at a woman. He was then attacked and stabbed multiple times by a security guard.

The report said taxi drivers are involved in the "clip joint" schemes, usually receiving kickbacks for dropping off tourists.

Clip joint victims usually are too embarrassed to report their experiences to law enforcement, the report said.

Contact reporter Antonio Planas at
aplanas@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4638.