CICERO, Ind. — The owner of an escort service that police suspect is a prostitution business said Wednesday that the operation is legitimate.

Chad McClellan, 35, of Cicero, was arrested this week on charges of theft, tax evasion and failure to remit sales tax. Police said the arrest was a result of an investigation into the “Hoosier Hotties” escort service, which is run from McClellan’s Cicero home and is publicized on the Internet.

Police said they expected other charges to be filed. On Wednesday, McClellan, having already been released, told RTV6’s Jennifer Carmack that he has done nothing wrong.

“It’s a legitimate business. I mean, it’s like a strip club or something,” McClellan said during an interview at his home.

Police seized business records and computers during searches at two locations Tuesday. They also seized some of McClellan’s belongings, such as cars and boats — items that authorities alleged were bought with proceeds from illegal activity.

Escort services are legal, but authorities said they believe the business crossed a line into prostitution by offering sex for money.

McClellan said he tells his employees not to engage in prostitution. He added, however, that he can only hope that the employees are not breaking the law.

“Without us being there to supervise exactly what’s happening, we can’t say exactly what is going on,” he said.

McClellan said he believes he will keep running the business.

“I think we’ll probably go ahead and keep on doing it. They didn’t say to stop or anything,” McClellan said. “I have to have an income. I have to feed my kids and things.”