TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A joint human trafficking investigation is underway across several counties in our area, according to court documents obtained by 8 On Your Side.

According to complaints dating back to 2021, Lisa Payne ran several human trafficking operations using massage parlors and barbershops in Hillsborough and Manatee Counties.

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In total, the investigation looked at four properties: Jackpot Massage in Sarasota, Latin Relaxation in Bradenton, and Bare All Body Waxing and Expose Barbershop in Tampa, all owned by Payne.

Timothy Guerrieri is a business owner right across the street from Expose Barbershop and lives in the neighborhood.

“It’s disgusting in my opinion. There’s a lot of quiet little places like that, that go unseen for years,” said Guerrieri. “It’s always been that same massage parlor, salon. Does it surprise me? No, it doesn’t surprise me at all, there’s a lot of shenanigans going on in that building, it’s open all hours of the night.”

He said he witnessed many things that did not seem quite right.

“Late nights, lot of traffic coming in and out, people sitting in their cars, I don’t know if you know this, but there’s a back parking lot behind the building, that’s where some activity would go on,” he said.

Investigators said Payne would travel to South America to recruit, quoting an alleged survivor saying that Payne loaned her money to come to the United States. In return, she would pay Payne back by working as a massage therapist at her spa.

Unbeknownst to the woman, that spa was where Payne ran her alleged prostitution ring, the report said.

Another woman named Karen McGlynn has been arrested in connection to a parlor in Manatee County that investigators said was part of Payne’s enterprise.

The affidavit states the investigation involved physical surveillance, electronic surveillance, phone usage analysis, witness interviews, victim interviews, and other methods.

The report said authorities have evidence of Payne’s communication with employees and prospective female employees talking about the rules, work conditions, and requests for “work” photos to be used in online advertisements, some of which were sexual.

Payne would allegedly have these adult advertisements uploaded to various websites known for posting advertisements for the commercial sex industry, the report said.

The investigation is being conducted by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Department of Homeland Security Investigations.

8 On Your Side received the following statement from FLDE: “This is currently an active and ongoing investigation, and we have no additional information to provide at this time.”

Payne is facing several charges including human trafficking, racketeering, conspiracy to commit racketeering, money laundering, unlawful use of a two-way communications device, and deriving support from the proceeds of prostitution.

Payne is scheduled to have an arraignment in Hillsborough County on Thursday at 1:30 p.m.

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