Tucson Prostitution Kingpin Woman Admits to Two Felonies in Major Case

A woman at the heart of a prolonged investigation into Tucson massage parlors has admitted guilt to two felonies.

During a status conference at Pima County Superior Court on May 17, Clarissa Lopez unexpectedly pleaded guilty to maintaining a house of prostitution and receiving the earnings of a prostitute. Both charges are class 5 felonies, according to court records.

Initially, Lopez faced eight felony charges, including illegal control of an enterprise, money laundering, and pandering. Her indictment came in February 2016 following a series of police raids involving multiple Tucson locations believed connected to the By Spanish prostitution network, according to Arizona Daily Star archives.

As a first-time offender, Lopez could receive up to two years in prison for each charge. Her sentencing is set for June 19.

Upon her plea, the trial focus shifts to her boyfriend, Ulises Ruiz, who will face trial next year. He is charged with six felonies, including illegal control of an enterprise, maintaining a house of prostitution, money laundering, and receiving the earnings of a prostitute. His trial is scheduled to start on January 9, 2018, and is expected to last three days.

At a settlement conference on May 8, Sean Bruner, Ruiz’s attorney, claimed the charges against Ruiz were unwarranted. Bruner contends that Ruiz’s involvement was limited to answering the phone at By Spanish a few times and insists the county attorney’s office is targeting Ruiz simply due to his relationship with Lopez.

The investigation by the Tucson Police Department (TPD) led to the dismissal of eight TPD employees who were found to be either patrons or aware of the illegal operations. Authorities also identified government employees, firefighters, Border Patrol agents, and Air Force personnel as clients of the illicit business.

Contact reporter Caitlin Schmidt at cschmidt@tucson.com or 573-4191. Follow on Twitter: @caitlinschmidt