ST. GEORGE — Police executed search warrants Tuesday at five Washington County massage parlors, resulting in a number of charges.
As part of a multiagency operation and investigation into prostitution, sexual solicitation and Utah business license violations, search warrants were served at Japan Massage, Golden Coast Massage and Massage Therapy, each located in St. George, along with Dixie Massage, located in both St. George and Washington City.
“Those warrants were in response to a long investigation into information we received that prostitution was being performed at these parlors,” St. George Police Sgt. David Williams said. “… We’ve received complaints from numerous citizens who went in to get a massage and they were solicited sexually for other activities.”
The Police Department has enlisted the help of several government agencies, including Homeland Security and IRS, to help process a significant amount of evidence seized during the search warrant executions, Williams said, adding that additional charges may be forthcoming.
“There’s a lot of information to process,” Williams said. “We seized a lot of cellphones (and) a lot of DVRs that contain camera footage of the (parlors) – so, clients coming in and out.”
Dixie Massage
During the service of the search warrant at Dixie Massage, located at 225 N. Bluff St. in St. George, detectives located two females, identified as Feng Fang Li, known to clients as “Suzanne,” and Dong Ju Jin, known to her clients as “Jenny,” St. George Police Officer Lona Trombley said.
Prior to the search warrant being issued, an undercover officer entered the business for a massage. During the massage, Feng Fang Li offered to perform sexual acts on the undercover officer in exchange for money, Trombley said, adding that the undercover officer declined.
Upon police questioning, Feng Fang Li allegedly admitted she is not a licensed massage therapist and does not have a license to work as a massage therapist in Utah but admitted to working at Dixie Massage as a massage therapist for approximately one year.
“During the course of the interview, Feng admitted to performing sex acts on ‘two to three clients,’” Trombley said.
Feng Fang Li was arrested on a class A misdemeanor count of not having a massage parlor license, along with a class B misdemeanor count of prostitution.
Dong Ju Jin also allegedly admitted to being employed at Dixie Massage as a massage therapist performing foot and back massages at the business for more than a year, Trombley said. She also admitted she is not a licensed massage therapist and does not have a license to work as a massage therapist in Utah.
Dong Ju Jin was arrested and charged with a class A misdemeanor count of not having a massage parlor license.
During the execution of the search warrant at Dixie Massage, located at 43 N. 300 West in Washington City, investigators spoke with a female identified as Geman Li, Trombley said. Following a police interview, Geman Li was issued a citation for class A misdemeanor count of not having a massage parlor license.
Japan Massage
Prior to service of the search warrant at Japan Massage, located at 328 E. St. George Blvd. in St. George, an undercover officer entered the business for a massage.
“Contact was made with a female known as ‘Vicki,’” Trombley said. “At that time, ‘Vicki’ offered to perform sexual acts on the undercover officer in exchange for money. The undercover officer declined.”
During the execution of the warrant Tuesday, “Vicki” was not located at the business. However, investigators encountered two females, later identified as Shanmei Olmstead and Yuhua Liu.
“Both Shanmei Olmstead and Yuhua Liu were interviewed and admitted to conducting massages at the Japan Massage location,” Trombley said. “Both admitted that they weren’t licensed in Utah to perform massages and that they came to St. George specifically to make money doing massages.”
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Shanmei Olmstead and Yuhua Liu were both arrested and charged with a class A misdemeanor count of not having a massage parlor license.
Charges of prostitution and performing massages without a massage license are pending in “Vicki’s” case.
Golden Coast Massage
When investigators entered Golden Coast Massage, located at 249 E. Tabernacle St. in St. George, with a search warrant in hand, they encountered two females, later identified as Li Ying and Yuxoang Wang.
“While interviewing Li Ying, she admitted to being the owner and bringing employees to St. George to work as massage therapists,” Trombley said. “Li also admitted to performing massages at the business.”
Li Ying was arrested and charged with a class A misdemeanor count of not having a massage parlor license.
“Prior to the warrant service, an undercover police officer met with Yuxoang Wang at Gold Coast Massage,” Trombley said. “During this meeting, negotiations were made for sexual favors in exchange for money. The undercover officer declined the services and left the business.”
During her interview, Yuxoang Wang allegedly admitted she was at the massage parlor to perform massages, police said, but that she did not have a valid business license to do so.
Yuxoang Wang was charged with a class A misdemeanor count of not having a massage parlor license, along with a class B misdemeanor count of prostitution.
Massage Therapy
Prior to the warrant service at Massage Therapy, located at 425 E. Tabernacle St. in St. George, an undercover police officer met with Jumei Qin at the business, Trombley said.
“During this meeting, negotiations were made for sexual favors in exchange for money,” Trombley added. “The undercover officer declined the services and left the business.”
Jumei Qin was arrested and charged with two class A misdemeanor counts of sexual solicitation and not having a massage parlor license, along with a class B misdemeanor count of prostitution.
The investigation into the massage parlors is ongoing, police said Tuesday, adding that evidence is currently being processed and additional charges may be pending.
Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.
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Twitter: @STGnews
Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2017, all rights reserved.
The back room with sex for money was the first thing that came to my mind when I saw those massage parlors in St George. Come on y’all, you thought the same thing 😉
So homeland security is in the business of busting massage parlors now? Did they run out of Alcaida terrorist muslims to chase or what? Can’t they go find some “Russian spies” or something?
This crew here looks like a bunch of illegal chinese that probably floated over here from the west coast. They get on the big freight ships and float over to the US, and just like the hispanic illegals they are extremely hard to get rid of. In a lot of cities in CA the illegal hispanic laborers have been replaced by illegal chinese who will work even cheaper. It’s ridiculous.
And so begins the persecution of Minorities! I bet the cops busting the place were all Trump supporters. I guess we need a wall all the way around ‘Murica.
But seriously, the fact that prostitution remains illegal in the year 2017 is kind of sad and pathetic. What happens between consenting adults should stay between consenting adults. Then again, all Republicans seem to want to do is monitor people in bedrooms, bathrooms, doctors offices and massage parlors.
parroting the same tired old leftist nonsense
Republicans, and conservatives in general, like to proclaim the virtues of personal responsibility and of minimizing the role of government in our lives, but when people want to do something they consider immoral, they are hypocritically in favor of using the government to force their beliefs on everyone. Prostitution is not known as the oldest profession for nothing. It is quite simply impossible to eradicate it. Our tax dollars would be far better spent on enforcing crimes that actually have victims.
Now where will their customers go?
You tell me, where are you going now?
maybe to your house.
Your comments suggest you’re much more open to taking care of these customers than me. According to you, one more whore house in town (yours) won’t make a difference.
The town is growing up.
Yuck they are all fugly not to mention. Are you sure they are not transgender?
Reading this story reminds me of being back in Tongducheon, South Korea, outside the gates of Camp Casey. “Soldier, I love you – buy me drink!” LOL
Does this article hint at human trafficking in St George?
If so, does the trafficking effect other establishments in St George including nail salons and restaurants? In my blog, I reach out to Ms Scott and SGN to pursue this article as far as it takes them.
https://www.facebook.com/dontcallthenumberonthesign/
I dont understand why it is always the women whom are arrested in these situations. Arent the customers also engaging in illegal activity. Seems as if the investigation lasted as long as it did, there would be evidence of the customers that frequented these facilities.
So if a porn star has sex for money, and that is ‘legal’, why is it illegal to have sex for money without a camera crew? Because one is called “porn” and one is called “prostitution”? What is the difference?
Why is one legal, socially acceptable, and a globally booming business (porn), and the other illegal, socially abhorrent, shamed, and a threat to humanity?
.
Humans are full of contradictions. Especially religious communities!
Right or wrong and morals aside, those are all good questions. I would say it’s because the only way government can make money off of prostitution is from arrests and fines. You see, the porn industry is an industry and a business, therefore, I assume, they file taxes. A prostitute doesn’t file taxes on money earned from prostitution and the government doesn’t like anyone making money and not reporting it.
These wonen? are disgusting, I might add.
I must admit to being slightly disappointed that among all the fine comments, the tongue-in-cheek option was missed.
Certainly, the St. George Police found a great way to “de-stress” while on the clock. My sense is the “happy ending” option was not presented upfront in a crass commercial manner……….