PLEASANT HILL — The owner of a pole fitness and modeling club has been charged with running a prostitution ring from a private residence after two undercover detectives arranged a deal to buy sex services through his business, police said.

Dominic Salazar, 54, of Pleasant Hill, has been charged with human trafficking, pimping and three pandering counts related to running a “house of prostitution,” according to court documents. Police say Salazar was running a business called “Mad Girls Fitness Club,” which advertises itself online as selling modeling, advertising and pole fitness parties.

Salazar pleaded not guilty in his first court appearance Monday, and has maintained that authorities have the wrong idea about his business. On June 28, he is scheduled to have a preliminary hearing, where a judge will review the case against him and determine whether to order him to stand trial or dismiss the charges.

Police began investigating Salazar after they received complaints from residents suspicious about his Mad Girls’ website, which advertises “VIP professional pole fitness party packages,” as well as modeling and advertising services. The site features pictures of various women in modeling poses and pledges that its employees are “very upscale, fancy Mad Girls.” The business has also posted ads for strip parties and “sensual massage” services to advertising websites.

Mad Girls did not have an active business license, according to city officials, and was operating out of a private residence at an undisclosed location. Two undercover detectives, wearing wires and microphones, paid Salazar a visit last week after the tip about his business came in, Pleasant Hill police Lt. Scott Vermillion said.

“Once they got inside, it was exactly what we suspected, a house of prostitution,” Vermillion said. “They made a deal of sex services for money, and when the money was given, we called it and that’s when the arrest was made.”

Salazar was charged on Friday, and remains in custody in lieu of $250,000 bail. A phone number that can be found on Mad Girls’ website went straight to voice mail﻿, with a woman’s voice urging callers to “go ahead and send us a text message to make an appointment.”

Authorities say they found evidence that Salazar recruited sex workers by placing online advertisements for models, then telling women who applied that they would need to be prostitutes before they could become models. He then allegedly used online advertisements to set up deals for sex services online, and would split the profits with the women under his employment. To date, authorities say they have not found evidence that he used violence or threats to coerce sex workers.

Authorities are also working to determine where Salazar’s profits were going and how long his business had been operating, Vermillion said.

“We’re still in the infancy of this investigation,” he said.

Ironically, Pleasant Hill has made headlines for the city’s efforts to weed out prostitution rings that operate under the guise of a legitimate business. Last year, the city passed a measure allowing police to shut down massage parlors in town if they suspect illicit activity is taking place.

“I don’t think (prostitution) is something unique to Pleasant Hill. I don’t think we have anything more happening here than other places do,” Mayor Sue Noack said.

Still, Noack said the city should remain vigilant in trying to identify and root out prostitution.

“We acted pretty quickly when the state changed its (massage parlor) laws,” she said. “To the extent we can do anything further, I’m sure we’ll do what we can do to eliminate it.”

Pleasant Hill police are asking anyone who notices signs of pimping or human trafficking to call them at 925-288-4630. Staff writer Lisa P. White contributed to this report. Contact Nate Gartrell at 925-779-7174 or follow him at Twitter.com/NateGartrell.