Club 907 manager found guilty of hiring illegal immigrants following 'taxi dance' raid

One manager of the raided Club 907 has been found guilty of misdemeanor charges. The "taxi dance" nightclub was shut down last year on suspicions of harboring prostitution and illegal immigrants.

Last November Los Angeles police raided Club 907, a hostess club downtown that targeted primarily Latino men. Authorities suspected the club of harboring prostitution, and they ultimately charged two of the managers with hiring illegal immigrants to work as dancers.

One manager pleaded guilty, and the other, Joel Sosa, was found guilty Friday of misdemeanor charges. He faces up to six months behind bars.

At the now-closed Club 907, men paid to dance or talk with the women who worked there. The more the customers danced, the more they paid. It’s a "taxi-dance" business model, referring to the fact that the longer you "ride" the more your "fare" increases.

During the trial, the key prosecution witnesses against manager Joel Sosa were former dancers at the club from Honduras, Mexico and El Salvador.

They testified that Sosa was aware of their illegal status when he hired them, and that he told them where to obtain fake identification. In exchange for their cooperation with the prosecution the dancers received one-year permits to work legally in this country.

Sosa’s defense attorney argued that the manager wasn’t responsible for hiring at the club; he contended that the owners should have stood trial.

Although authorities have since shuttered Club 907, at least seven taxi-dance clubs still operate in downtown L.A.

According to rates posted on its door the night of the raid, the club charged patrons $30 per hour.