A Springfield man is charged with first-degree assault after he told police he beat up the husband of a prostitute he had hired.

Anthony E. Mello, 27, told police he hired a prostitute Sunday. When he asked for some of his money back after receiving her services, she refused. Mello told police when he tried to take his money back, she called her husband, who was waiting downstairs in a vehicle.

The woman told police that when her husband entered the residence, Mello threw her husband to the floor and punched him in the face at least six times. The woman said Mello pulled her husband by the ankles down a flight of stairs. The woman said she saw her husband's head hit each step on the way down.

Mello told police he was brought back to the scene by his parents. During an interview with police, Mello said he "blacked out" as the husband was pushing his way past him. Mello admitted to grabbing the man and dragging him down the steps.

Police say the husband suffered severe head trauma and severe bruising.

KSPR called the escort service phone number listed in the Springfield phone book.

A woman who answered the phone says the couple was trying to rip off the customer.

She says the company does not hire any women.

Instead she says the women pay the company a fee for referrals to clients.

The woman says they can not control everything that the women do.

She says the company does not encourage or require women to solicit money for sex.

Springfield police say the same unit that handles organized crime investigates prostitution complaints.

Officer Grant Story says, “We have done numerous stings in the past but we have not received a trend of complaints on these types of businesses.”

Police say if they do receive accurate information they would respond.

Greene County Prosecutor Darrell Moore says the serious assault raises questions about the legitimacy and nature of the escort business.

Moore says the business should be looked into.