Massage parlor online 'reviewer' gets jail time

A website owner who promoted and facilitated prostitution at various massage parlors and wrote reviews in exchange for unlawful sexual services is going to prison, prosecutors say.

David A. Warmack, age 59, of Denver, pled guilty to one count of use of a facility in interstate commerce to promote a business enterprise involving prostitution. He was sentenced to 15 months in prison and three years of supervised release.

Prosecutors said that Warmack owned and operated a website business named Sowet.com that promoted and facilitated prostitution that was taking place at various massage parlors across the Denver metro area.

"The massage parlors offered not only massages but also unlawful sexual services," according to the Department of Justice. "The defendant charged the owners of the massage parlors for advertisements on his Sowet website.  He visited some of the businesses, getting unlawful sexual services in exchange for writing a review of the parlor and the specific prostitute that he posted on his site.  Further, Warmack posted sexually suggestive photographs of the women in an effort to attract business to the massage parlors."

Prosecutors said Warmack personally visited a site, obtained a massage and sexual services so he could give personal testimonials.

He allegedly reviewed the women, the inside cleanliness and other conditions along with posting ads with names of workers and cost of services for each location.

The main massage parlors Warmack promoted were in Golden, Aurora, Lakewood, Wheat Ridge and Parker, prosecutors said.

“Warmack systematically perpetuated the victimization of the workers at these parlors, and he obstructed justice to boot,” said U.S. Attorney John Walsh.

“The defendant engaged in widespread, systematic exploitation and victimization of vulnerable women for his personal profit and pleasure. While he advertised the so-called spas online, he acted as a pimp, contributing to the vicious cycle of abuse and degradation of the women through prostitution,” said FBI Denver Division Special Agent in Charge Thomas Ravenelle.