Rotten Reporting: Fox Carolina Discovers Sky is Blue
While investigting drug use and gang activity at a couple of “Oriental” massage parlors Anderson county deputies stumbled onto prostitution. Casey Vaughn of Fox Carolina was just shocked by this and wrote it up with the headline Deputies: Women offer sex, not massages at spa parlors. Because no one knew that massage parlors were bordellos until this story broke.
ANDERSON, SC (FOX Carolina) – Deputies arrested two women in a sting operation at Anderson County spa and massage parlors.
According to the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, the operation was conducted by Narcotics Investigators and Gang Task Force officers at two different parlors in Anderson.
The two female employees were arrested on Nov. 3 after they attempted to solicit prostitution for money with undercover officers, according to deputies.
Deputies said they began the investigation after several complaints about illegal activities were occurring at the businesses.
Myoung Hee Tucker, 54, of Atlanta, worked at Bella Spa on Community Park Drive in Anderson. Xiang En Jin, 42, of Flushing, NY, worked at Spring Sauna Spa on Will Pine Road in Anderson. Both were charged with prostitution.
Yeah, call me old fashioned but maybe a couple of vice cops could have just randomly walked in, looked around and had the place shut down. But hey, who am I to deny detectives their dream of going undercover in a massage parlor.
Does anyone else wonder how these bordellos get business licenses in the first place? And why only certain “spas” get shut down? Hmmmm.
Anderson County Sheriff Uniforms and Guns Stolen
Apparently in the past couple of weeks there have been multiple auto thefts where the thieves targeted Anderson County patrol cars and undercover vehicles. Guns were stolen, but more importantly uniforms were. While the gun thefts are more sensational the uniform thefts are much more dangerous.
I suspect that someone is planning on impersonating the police for some nefarious reason, and since there have been at least four of these thefts in the past two weeks there is more than one person involved. This is a scary situation and one we should be wary of. If an Anderson County deputy approaches you double check their credentials.
Raymond Groves Arrested for 2005 Murder
Police aren’t saying what evidence led to this arrest but they must feel pretty solid. Little outside our area but a cold case being closed is a big deal.
From WSPA:
Investigators have made an arrest in a five year old cold case. On Tuesday morning, a murder suspect is due in court for an initial appearance.
The shooting happened in the parking lot of the Bamboo Garden Restaurant on the Highway 28 Bypass back in October 2005.
Investigators said James Wells was walking to his car when he was gunned down in an attempted robbery.
According to warrants, Raymond Groves is charged with murder in Wells’ death.
Investigators have not said what led to his arrest so many years later, but more details are expected later Tuesday.
There’s a press conference scheduled any minute now to give more details.
Deputies Nab Man Who Carjacked His Own Grandma
Nothing says rock bottom quite like carjacking your own grandmother. And the Friday night carjacking was just the beginning of the havoc caused in three counties by 20-year-old Brandon Earl Gosnell.
Anderson deputies said they got a call that Gosnell had carjacked his own grandmother. They said he grabbed her by the throat, forced her from her car, robbed her and then drove off toward Spartanburg.
In Spartanburg County, deputies said Gosnell went to a relative’s house near Fingerville Saturday morning. They said he kicked in the door, threw several personal items inside and left.
While he was leaving, two of the men who lived there went outside. Police said Gosnell fired his shotgun at both of them and missed both times.
Deputies said he drove away and then ditched the car and ran off into some woods. They said he found an old red Ford truck in the woods and stole it from a hunter.
Spartanburg County sent out a “be on the lookout” alert, and a few hours later, Anderson County deputies spotted him.
“There was a challenge, there were some shots fired and the suspect was taken into custody and is being treated for apparently non life-threatening injuries,” said Anderson County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Daryl Loftis.
The situation ended in Greenville County, just past the county line.
Gosnell faces charges of assault and battery with intent to kill, burglary, and possession of a stolen vehicle charges in Spartanburg County. He will face charges in Anderson County as well.
Update:
The Anderson County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO) has charged Gosnell with seven counts of assault with intent to kill. Deputies say he pointed a shotgun at them after the chase. In addition, it is alleged that during his rampage Gosnell fired a shotgun at a group of five firefighters standing in front of the West Pelzer Fire Department. The ACSO has also charged Gosnell with driving under suspension, failure to stop a motor vehicle when signaled by law enforcement, carjacking, and strong armed robbery.
Body Found in Anderson County May be Missing Taylors Man
Homer Staton, 72, and Jo Ann Staton, 68 were last seen at Old Country Buffet on Wade Hampton Blvd on Friday. On Saturday a car found parked near a pond was traced to the couple who had by then disappeared. Homer Stanton’s hearing aid was found in the car. A police search of the couple’s home found no evidence of where the couple was.
On Sunday a man walking his dog found a body a few miles from where the Stanton’s car was found. Police are not yet sure if the body is Homer Stanton but are investigating the possibility.
From WYFF:
ANDERSON COUNTY, S.C. — The Anderson County Sheriff’s office has begun a homicide investigation on a man’s body found near Asaville School Road.
The body was found a few miles from the car of a missing couple from Taylors.
Sheriff John Skipper said the car belongs to 72-year-old Homer and 68-year-old Jo Ann Staton of Taylors. Deputies found it near a pond off Belton Highway.
[...]
The Anderson County Coroner’s Office could not confirm the identity of the person found dead, but said he was probably between 60 and 70 years old.
Greenville Online also has a report.
UPDATE: The body has been identified as Homer Staton and his death has been ruled a homicide. From Fox Carolina:
ANDERSON, S.C. — Anderson County deputies said that the death of a Taylors man whose body was found on Sunday night is a homicide.
The Anderson County Coroner’s Office said that the body of 72-year-old Homer Staton was found along Asaville School Road at about 6:15 p.m. Sunday. Investigators said that Staton died from blunt force trauma to the head.
Jo Ann Staton remains missing. Anyone with information call Anderson County Crime Stoppers at 231-STOP.