'Bikini baristas' accused of serving more than just coffee
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EVERETT, Wash. -- Three so-called "bikini baristas", including a 16-year-old girl, were arrested Wednesday in Everett for allegedly violating the city's adult cabaret law.
The arrests came at the end of a two-month long investigation into a pair of Grab-N-Go coffee stands, according to police.
"Citizens complained that these locations served more than just coffee," Lt. James Duffy of the Criminal Intelligence Unit said in a Wednesday news release.
Duffy said the investigation uncovered what he called "exhibition and exposure which is outside the confines of the law."
Police used surveillance cameras to capture the baristas allegedly giving customers "shows" for money without actually serving any coffee.
Everett police officer Aaron Snell said Grab-N-Go customers know they're going to see scantily-clad baristas. He said their clothes -- or lack thereof -- were not the problem, but their actions went too far.
"They were uncovering themselves and exposing themselves, which is completely different than the outfits they were wearing," he said. "It's behavior driven as opposed to what they were wearing."
A barista who was not arrested believes the police are targeting bikini barista stands.
"The cops are looking to try and shut down a lot of bikini stands because stigma behind them," said barista Kassi Carlson.
In 2010, five Grab-N-Go baristas were charged with prostitution and violating the city's adult entertainment ordinance following a two-month undercover investigation.
Those women, ages 18 to 24, were accused of groping and other sexual acts, including exposing their breasts and privates and licking whipped cream off of each other in exchange for money.
The owner of the coffee stands, Bill Wheeler, said he is only aware of two of his employees being arrested Wednesday.
"I got a phone call saying the cops were here and they were going to detain them," he said.
He said a 22-year-old and a 17-year-old were arrested. Police listed the ages of the arrested women as 29, 21, and 16. The three were later released from custody with charges referred to the Everett city prosecutors for review.
Despite the company's shaky history with the law, Wheeler insists everything at his coffee stands in on the up-and-up.
"I make it very clear that my business isn't what they may suspect it to be," he said. "Regardless of what they heard in the past in the media I have a zero-tolerance-policy for any of this conduct."
The arrests came at the end of a two-month long investigation into a pair of Grab-N-Go coffee stands, according to police.
"Citizens complained that these locations served more than just coffee," Lt. James Duffy of the Criminal Intelligence Unit said in a Wednesday news release.
Duffy said the investigation uncovered what he called "exhibition and exposure which is outside the confines of the law."
Police used surveillance cameras to capture the baristas allegedly giving customers "shows" for money without actually serving any coffee.
Everett police officer Aaron Snell said Grab-N-Go customers know they're going to see scantily-clad baristas. He said their clothes -- or lack thereof -- were not the problem, but their actions went too far.
"They were uncovering themselves and exposing themselves, which is completely different than the outfits they were wearing," he said. "It's behavior driven as opposed to what they were wearing."
A barista who was not arrested believes the police are targeting bikini barista stands.
"The cops are looking to try and shut down a lot of bikini stands because stigma behind them," said barista Kassi Carlson.
In 2010, five Grab-N-Go baristas were charged with prostitution and violating the city's adult entertainment ordinance following a two-month undercover investigation.
Those women, ages 18 to 24, were accused of groping and other sexual acts, including exposing their breasts and privates and licking whipped cream off of each other in exchange for money.
The owner of the coffee stands, Bill Wheeler, said he is only aware of two of his employees being arrested Wednesday.
"I got a phone call saying the cops were here and they were going to detain them," he said.
He said a 22-year-old and a 17-year-old were arrested. Police listed the ages of the arrested women as 29, 21, and 16. The three were later released from custody with charges referred to the Everett city prosecutors for review.
Despite the company's shaky history with the law, Wheeler insists everything at his coffee stands in on the up-and-up.
"I make it very clear that my business isn't what they may suspect it to be," he said. "Regardless of what they heard in the past in the media I have a zero-tolerance-policy for any of this conduct."
To all the folks complaining about cops targeting minor crimes: take a deep breath, then google "broken window syndrome".
Talk about wasting tax payer's money.
using vice to sell vice. 'merica.
The local cops were the best customers. Investigation took many, many, trips. Wish they would open in Portland. Starbucks is so boring. God Bless America and free enterprise.Â
I certainly wouldn't order cream in my coffee.
I guarantee a jealous wife reported this, lol.
If I wanted to see a little T&A I wouldn't go to the local coffee shop. There are much better places, especially here in Portland. Watching the wife strut around the house in her birthday suit usually does it for me though.
nice, spending police time and scarce resources to watch barista sex shows on video....meanwhile there are rapes, robberies, and meth labs in the area that go undetected and unsolved....hey Everett police, catch some real criminals.....
The coffee stands that apparently serve as cover for prostitution (one doesn't have to "go all the way" in order for it to be prostitution) need to go. Â The pimps that run them need to turn their girls out on the street and have them earn him money the old fashioned way.
Prostitution will always be with us, it just needs to be sold for what it is, without a coffee stand as a cover. Â Prostitution needs to be controlled, regulated and taxed like it is in other jurisdictions.Â
Sell coffee as coffee and if your business selling coffee doesn't work, find another business. But don't overlap coffee and sex.
Sell sex as sex.
I think you're confused. His business model doesn't appear to be selling sex, no more so than Hooters is selling sex with their chicken wings. I didn't see anything in the article that states that the employees were giving hand-jobs, blow-jobs, or engaging in intercourse with the customers.Â
Two obvious points here.
Number One: The drive-up coffee stand market is way over saturated. Â If a business owner has to resort to using sex to sell coffee he should just realize what he is.
Number Two: The owner of these sex shops disguised as coffee stands is a pimp. Period. Â He should put his girls out on the street and put them to work the old fashioned way.
BTW, one of the girls arrested in the sting was sixteen years old. Â Bill Wheeler is now or soon will be charged with trafficking underage juveniles for sex. Â Hopefully he'll go away for a long time.Â
For a cat lady, you're awful bitter. Young ladies wearing small outfits is not anything out of the ordinary, it's simply catering to a different audience, some people want organic coffee, some want free trade coffee, some want cheap coffee, some people want to see a bikini with their coffee. By the sounds of things, the owner had NO involvement in the alleged behaviors, and possibly no knowledge that they were engaging in such alleged behavior. And I'm not going to convict him, or his employees until they have been proven in guilty in court by a jury of their peers.
I guess you can look at things one of two ways: 1. This is totally unacceptable public behavior, or 2. This sure raises the bar for Starbucks baristas to do a whole lot better to justify their own real high coffee prices. Take your pick .
@Paul Hooson or 3. Boobies.
Mmm boobies.
Who cares what they do? Bunch of prudes. They could go to starbucks instead of complaining to the police. I see no problem with what they were doing, just having a little fun for a few bucks. Big deal.
what a waste of taxpayer money and police time.... who the heck cares it is their body their choice. and nothing illegal happened. and as for being on the job well then it is up to the employer to decide punishment or geting fired.
I am surprised the "investigation" didnt go on for at least 2 years... Of course they must have had some stiff necks from the filming..
@eeyore46Â They should of served donuts
@eeyore46Â Yeah....stiff necks.
@Sundowner @eeyore46 That's a good one. 'stiff' necks.
Two month long investigation into a few dingbats who show off for a few bucks? Seriously!!?? You guys have absolutely nothing better to do with your resources than this? How many unsolved murders, rapes, molestations are there on the books and open and THIS is wise use of taxpayer money!
@yabadabadone Citizen complaints my friend.  It's the first two words of the police statement.
"Citizens" at least those doing the complaining, Â feel that it's more important to make sure folks aren't looking at a naked girl than your so called "unsolved murders, rapes, & molestations"
Although for the sake of argument, if there was a minor on the premises who was suspected of engaging in prostitution like the 5 GnG employees arrested in 2010, it could be argued that indeed meets the definition of at least one of the last two "unsolved" crimes in your complaint.
Can you say "harassment"?
This opinion isn't going to be very popular, but here goes...Granted, making a huge deal of this is a waste of taxpayers money, agreed. Firstly, coffee stops are way more exposed to the general public than a strip club, so the goings-on would need to be a bit more discreet.
Secondly, - and the main problem with this - is the ages of the employees. If they employ under-age girls, that behavior is not OK. And this go around with LE sounds like it netted a 16, or 17 year old girl. That sort of behavior is sending the wrong message to our youth about respect and dignity for ourselves. Adults .... fine, they are adults, but under 18, you have a whole other ballgame.Â
@Just_one_opinion This happened in Warrrshington -- the age of sexual consent there is 16.
Should be .....Grab-n-Glow !
They ought to rename the coffee stand "Jiggle Alert"!
Why didn't they have these places when I was a kid! Who knows I might have been a coffee drinker today.
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So, since my comment was deleted, I guess KATU thought my comment was offensive? There are plenty of others on here that are questionable! Whatever!
Caught up in the thought control process? I doubt it. I guess KATU decides what titillates, and what is a comment! Whatever!
@jpk I was trying to play along with the joke. Did we get caught up in something that's just too big for the both of us?! <gasp!>
I was purely describing the absolutely normal maternal mammary action relative to her newborn baby! Absolutely nothing filthy like many other here can be interpreted!
@jpk Dang -- sorry I missed your comment....I was busy typing filthy ones of my own. =)
A barista who was not arrested believes the police are targeting bikini barista stands.
They should serve donuts.
This gives me a great idea for a Hot Dog Stand for the ladies and a Taco Bar for the Guys!
Naw, it's Taquitos for the ladies, and then Taco's for the guys
@pdxd anytime is taco time is what the commercial says...
It was a two month, round-the-clock investigation. Every male member of the police stepped forward to go undercover, as often as needed. Justice must be served.
@Max QuinnÂ
Well, probably more than their members stepped forward....
Good evening, sir. What can I get you?Â
Coffee? Tea? Or me?
I'm just sorry that I didn't think of it first! "Bikini Barista" = Freaking gold mine. :PÂ
OK, let's get real here -- how many of you guys would pull through their drive-up window just to get a glimpse of the whipped cream action? Â A simple "Like" will suffice if you're too embarrassed to admit it! Â LOL.
@Sundowner I would answer honestly if I thought you wouldn't think less of me for it.
They wouldn't let me give you more than one like, I want to know who's ratting them out if they don't like what's going on they should stay home and drink coffee.
@Sundowner *Raises hand*Â
I'm a girl but I would go if they had guys in Speedos. LOL
I'm just kidding.. I believe this was a huge waste of time, energy & resources!Â
So glad they broke this huge criminal enterprise, the state will be a safer place! *sarcasm*
@cwpholder Nice thought and I might take a look/see at some of that action, but you KNOW the guys would end up being like this:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-boQ2MAe9RH8/T7Je6bc9_QI/AAAAAAAAJSE/3l0A2k_1TVE/s1600/Borat_280_426010a.jpg
Is that a banana hamock? OMG
@Sundowner @cwpholder LOL Oh girl you know it!!
WARNING: Watch out bikini car washes! They're coming for YOU next!Â