Two men face federal charges in connection with a string of massage parlor robberies - CIProud.com

[Andy Kravetz, Christopher Huslig]

PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — Two Peoria men face time in federal prison for allegedly robbing three massage parlors — and possibly more — within the past few months.

Titus Alexander, 32, and Mitchell Smith, 43, both appeared in U.S. District Court on Monday, charged with conspiracy to commit robbery and possession of a firearm in the furtherance of a crime of violence.

They are accused of robbing spas in Peoria, Dunlap and Jacksonville within the past month. But according to a recently unsealed federal affidavit, as many as seven massage parlors within Central Illinois have been robbed since the start of the year.

Both men were ordered held in pending a preliminary haring on Wednesday. It’s also possible that a federal grand jury could be reviewing the case as well. The charges carry a possible prison range of at least five years and possibly up to 20 years behind bars.

Ocean Spa robbery​

On April 22, deputies with the Peoria County Sheriff’s Office responded to Ocean Spa, located at Lake of the Woods Plaza. That’s near the Wheels O’ Time museum. A woman was found at the spa lying on a couch in the lobby with both eyes almost completely swollen shut, the affidavit stated. She was taken to an area hospital for her injuries.

About $500 was taken from the business.

Residents decry possible wine-bar/gaming cafe in Lake of the Woods Plaza

Two men were seen on surveillance video entering the store, holding packages. One of them wore a vest indicating he worked with Amazon, according to the complaint. Footage from inside the business shows the men grabbing the woman and assaulting her before restraining her. Another person was also inside the store, and she was also attacked.

A pistol fell out of the clothing of one of the men during the fracas, the complaint said. The second woman was struck in the head several times with the pistol, according to court records.

Sister Relax Spa robbery​

On April 25, members of the Peoria Police Department as well as agents with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives responded just before 4 p.m. to the Sister Relax Spa on a report of a robbery there. The spa is located in a shopping center at the corner of Lake and Knoxville avenues.

A woman met them and told them that two people came into the spa wearing masks and gloves. She refused to serve them as they were masked and one of them grabbed her and began to choke her.

The woman said she was “choked unconscious by Suspect 1.” She told police she waited until they left before seeking help, the complaint stated. Her legs and hands had been zip-tied together.

About $200 to $300 was taken from the store. Footage from nearby businesses captures images of the two suspects which matched the images seen from the footage taken inside the spa.

The investigation​

Clothing from the Peoria incident matched clothing from the two assailants involved in the Dunlap robbery, the complaint states.

DNA taken from the zip ties matched DNA found at the Ocean Spa robbery as well as a robbery at a spa in Bartonville on March 15, the complaint stated. That DNA, court records allege, matched Smith.

Officers also used cell phone records of both men to see that they were making calls to each other on the April 22 robbery in Dunlap and the April 25 robbery in Peoria.

Summer Spa robbery in Jacksonville​

Authorities witnessed three calls between Smith and Alexander between 6 p.m. and 6:50 p.m., which had “communication consistent with” that of the other two burglaries in Dunlap and Peoria, the complaint said.

Because of this, surveillance was set up outside a home at the 1500 block of North East Monroe Street, where they allegedly saw Alexander leave the house and enter a white sedan.

The car left and got onto Interstate 74 with agents tailing it all the way to Jacksonville, which is about an hour south.

The car stopped in a restaurant parking, and the two men allegedly got out and walked over to Summer Spa, 1164 W. Morton Ave. Smith was allegedly seen entering the spa at 9:16 p.m. A few minutes later, Alexander was seen entering the spa’s parking lot before going inside.

About 30 minutes, both men left the business and tried to leave the parking lot but were taken into custody by federal agents.

A woman at the spa told Jacksonville Police officers that Smith allegedly entered the store, asked for a massage. When she reached for his money, he grabbed her around the neck and choked her to the point of being unconscious, the complaint states.

Like in a prior heist, she was zip tied at the hands and ankles. A gun was put to her head and the Smith and Alexander demanded to know where the money was, the complaint stated. It’s estimated they took between $800 and $1,000.

Agents allegedly found the woman’s wallet, an Amazon vest and a bag of zip ties, among other things. They also allegedly found a black .45-caliber pistol.