Police Bust A Topless Housemaid -- Service Allegedly Offered Cocaine And Prostitution

LYNNWOOD - Talk about an undercover bust.

An Everett-based topless housecleaning service turned out to offer a lot more than advertised, said Lynnwood Police Chief Larry Kalsbeek.

A two-month sting ended Wednesday night when a 25-year-old "housekeeper" was arrested on suspicion of prostitution and delivering cocaine, Kalsbeek said.

Also arrested was the owner of Divest Housekeeping on suspicion of promoting prostitution and conspiring to deliver cocaine, he said.

Two other Divest employees, who used the names "Star" and "Danielle" during television talk-show appearances last month, turned themselves in to Lynnwood police about 3 p.m. yesterday, Kalsbeek said. They were arrested on suspicion of violating the city's adult-entertainment ordinances and conspiring to deliver a controlled substance, said police Commander John Szalda.

"Star" and "Danielle" entertained a group of four or five undercover officers from Lynnwood police and the Snohomish County sheriff's office on two occasions in January and February, Kalsbeek said. The first time they served as topless party hostesses and the second time they performed nude "couch dancing," he said.

A different "housekeeper" showed up for the third party, he said.

"For the last (party) we said, `We want full sexual favors and we'd like cocaine delivered with it,' " Kalsbeek said. "We made the arrest after it became obvious that prostitution was the end result of it."

The woman brought one-eighth ounce of cocaine valued at $220, he said.

Mountlake Terrace police arrested two topless women in January for operating without a Mountlake Terrace business license.

Divest does have a business license in Everett. The owner of Divest, and his wife operated the business out of their West Casino Road apartment, police said.

"Star," 19, and "Danielle," 28, traveled the local television show circuit following the Mountlake Terrace arrest, prompting the Lynnwood sting, Kalsbeek said.

"We had a lot of phone calls after the media exposure they were getting, demanding what we were going to do about it," he said.

The three parties leading to this week's arrest weren't the only undercover activities staged for this case, Kalsbeek said, but he declined to elaborate. Video and audio tapes were made of each event, he said.

"It's difficult to find undercover officers who are willing to live the part they have to to get into these things," he said.

In January, the owner of Divest said he got the idea for the topless service last year while working for another service. Then he learned of a successful topless cleaning service in Las Vegas, and followed suit.

Divest had been in business since December, employing six women part time, the owner said.

The owner's business records were seized at the time of his arrest.

"The company is effectively out of business. This was simply a new twist on an old trade," Kalsbeek said. "And I think next year you'll see it again in a new package."