United States Attorney Deborah R. Gilg announced that Christopher J. Tierney was sentenced on Dec. 23, 2013, by U.S. District Judge Laurie Smith Camp to a term of probation of three years. Mr. Tierney was also ordered to pay a fine of $15,000.00. Mr. Tierney pled guilty on Aug. 19, 2013, to one count of conspiracy to use facilities in interstate commerce in aid of a racketeering enterprise, that is, a business enterprise involving prostitution, and to induce travel in interstate commerce with intent to engage in prostitution.
Starting in approximately April of 2008 and continuing to January of 2012 Tierney assisted in the operation of three “spas" in Omaha, Nebraska. The spas had different names over time, but were frequently referred to as the 93rd Street Spa, the 72nd Street Spa and the It Works Spa. Each spa was, in fact, a front for prostitution
Tierney provided computer and electronic services for the spas. He set up a spa website accessible over the internet. The website advertised available services and contact information. He also upgraded the website to include a “Members Only" section. Established customers of the spas could access a “Members Only" section of the website to read about the female workers providing services and view provocative pictures of them. Tierney conducted “photo shoots" of workers for inclusion in the “Members Only" section of the website. The website also allowed customers to communicate with the spas by e-mail and to set up appointments online. Tierney also participated in “sessions" with workers during which he received sex acts in exchange for money.
In addition to setting up the website for the spas, Tierney set up and maintained surveillance cameras at the 93rd Street Spa and later at the 72nd Street Spa. Using those cameras and the internet, Tierney and others could remotely monitor what was occurring inside and outside the 72nd Street Spa.
Tierney also created and upgraded a computerized record keeping and management system, entitled “Spa Manager." The Spa Manager system generated text messages to workers’ cell phones to notify them of appointments for which they had been scheduled. The Spa Manager system also tracked various data related to the spas’ operation.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Omaha Police Department and the Internal Revenue Service, under the auspices of the Child Exploitation Task Force, which also includes the Council Bluffs Police Department, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, the La Vista Police Department, the Mills County Sheriff’s Office and the Nebraska State Patrol.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
