PENNSYLVANIA WOMAN ACCUSED OF OPERATING PROSTITUTION RING: ‘IT WAS MASSAGES WITH FREE FUN AFTER WORK’

Crystal Sweigart says, “I'm not saying that I'm not guilty, I'm just not a prostitute”

By Wesley Robinson

PennLive
November 20, 2015

MOUNT JOY, PA — A Mount Joy woman accused of running a prostitution ring out of her home said her only crime is operating a massage business without a license.

"It was massages with free fun after work," said Crystal Sweigart on Thursday in her home in the 10 block of Hopewell Street in the borough. "Being labeled as a prostitute isn't what I was doing. I was giving pleasure without expecting any money."

Sweigart, 32, is charged with misdemeanor prostitution. She was arrested on Tuesday around 5:30 p.m. and released on $2,500 unsecured bail.

Mount Joy police Chief Maurice Williams said a two-week investigation found that Sweigart was advertising massages on Craigslist. Police raided Sweigart's home Tuesday when the woman was arrested. He added that he was not releasing any additional information to prevent compromising the investigation and because more charges may be filed.

Sweigart declined to comment on others involved in the case. A neighbor, Bonnie L. Aulthouse, 49, of Mount Joy, was arrested with Sweigart on Tuesday for felony promoting prostitution. A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Charles E. Ford, 39, of Modena, for felony promoting prostitution as well.

According to charging documents, police received numerous complaints of heavy traffic at Sweigart's home, noting that several people thought prostitution was occurring at the home. Multiple men told police that Sweigart and Aulthouse were operating a prostitution ring at the home, police said.

Police confirmed the high amount of traffic through surveillance, according to charging documents. Police said Sweigart and Aulthouse confirmed that prostitution was occurring at the home, according to charging documents.

LancasterOnline.com reported that Sweigart told police she made $400 daily and had five to 10 clients per day. Aulthouse and Ford were responsible for managing the Craigslist page, booking clients and assisting in taking money in exchange for sex acts, according to the report.

Three men were arrested after they were seen leaving Sweigart's home and charged with soliciting prostitution: Todd A Morris, 52, of Middletown; Andrew G. Reynolds, 44, of New Cumberland; and William B Trousdale, 63, of Harrisburg.

Sweigart said she studied to be a licensed masseuse but circumstances prevented her from obtaining a license. She noted that licensed masseuses cannot perform any sex acts.

"Anything that happened when the massage stopped becomes two consenting adults having fun," Sweigart said. "What I'm complaining about is (police) labeling it as [prostitution]."

Throughout an interview with PennLive, Sweigart maintained that she did not ask for money for sex or sex acts. She said she charged $50 for a massage and anything after that was between friends who sometimes gave her money.

"Did I refuse the money? No," Sweigart said. "Should I have or would it have looked better on me if I didn't? Probably."

Pointing to her phone, Sweigart said she had at least 222 clients. Many more clients were coordinated through email or Craigslist, she said. Some of the men became the friends with whom she would engage in sex acts with, adding that she knew all of the men who paid her above the rate for a massage.

The goal was to make her clients happy, something many of her regulars sought, Sweigart said. She described herself as an open-minded, sexual person who connected with men who were unfulfilled.

"I didn't answer the ads, they answered me," Sweigart said. "I can't take all of the blame."

Sweigart said police seized all of her business equipment as well as sex toys and other items she used when she engaged in sex acts. In am moment of levity, Sweigart joked that she should have done workshops for couples in need.

Sweigart tearfully addressed the fact that people would judge her based on reports of prostitution charges, adding that it was a bad decision on her part to accept money for sex acts and operate a business illegally.

"I'm not saying that I'm not guilty, I'm just not a prostitute," Sweigart said.