Police Think Other Employees Engaged In Prostitution

by | Apr 17, 2014

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58 Main Street.

Police do not plan to make any other arrests in connection with the prostitution arrest made at The Blissful Oak Wednesday. However, police said Thursday, they do believe the Providence woman who was charged was not the only one “engaged in that conduct.”

Police arrested the woman, who worked at the massage business, after she allegedly offered sex in exchange for money to an undercover East Greenwich police detective April 16. The Blissful Oak is owned by Gina Ruggieri of Cranston. She did not respond to a request for a comment left at her house. According to an employee of one of the other businesses in the building, Ruggieri recently had given birth and someone else was managing the business in her absence.

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The yellow 18th century building at 58 Main Street is home to a variety of small businesses in addition to The Blissful Oak. According to the building’s owner, Dale DeJoy of South Kingstown, it had become something of a health center in recent years, including a Zumba studio and three psychologists as tenants. When Ruggieri, a licensed reflexologist according to DeJoy, opened The Blissful Oak on the third floor in January, DeJoy thought the business would fit in with the building’s other health offerings.

Police said they received “several anonymous tips” about suspicious activities at The Blissful Oak.

“Through investigation, detectives learned that The Blissful Oak posted daily advertisements on Craigslist and Backpage,” an EGPD press release stated after the arrest.

“The building owner and the tenant have been advised that type of business is not welcome in town,” said Police Chief Steven Brown Thursday.

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