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Hearing in Robert Kraft prostitution case canceled

Posted at 8:00 PM, May 16, 2019
and last updated 2019-10-01 20:41:45-04

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A status hearing in the prostitution case of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft was canceled Friday morning.

A spokesperson for the Palm Beach County Clerk's Office said a new date for the hearing has not been set.

Next week, Kraft must appear at a 'calendar call' hearingon May 21 to determine if prosecutors and the defense are ready to go to trial, possibly later this month.

The Jupiter Police Department said Kraft, who's pleaded not guilty, was recorded receiving an illegal sex act from a masseuse at Orchids of Asia Day Spa on Jan. 19.

Earlier this week, Judge Leonard Hanser ruled that surveillance video of Kraft inside a private massage room cannot be admissible as evidence at trial.

RELATED: How 'sneak-and-peek' cameras were installed in Kraft case | Inside an illicit massage parlor

Kraft is charged with soliciting another to commit prostitution, a first-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail, a $5,000 penalty, and a mandatory 100 hours of community service.

In February, Martin County Sheriff William Snyder announced the results of an eight-month investigation, which he said uncovered prostitution operations at five day spas from Jupiter to Hobe Sound.

According to Sheriff Snyder, the spas involved were:

  • Orchids of Asia Day Spa in Jupiter
  • Cove Day Spa in Stuart
  • Therapy Spa in Stuart
  • Bridge Day Spa in Hobe Sound
  • Sequoia Apple Day Spa in Hobe Sound