Kevin Jenkins

kevin@thespectrum.com

Several women accused of operating local massage parlors without an appropriate license, some of them with alleged clandestine prostitution services on the side, were arrested Tuesday evening in a sweep of St. George and Washington City businesses, the St. George Police Department announced Wednesday.

The arrests include St. George residents Dong Ju Jin, who turns 46 this week; Feng Fang Li, 46; Jumei Qin, 47; and Yuxoang Wang, 58.

Shanmei Olmstead, 47, lists an Oakhurst, Calif., address and two other suspects – Yuhua Liu, 47; and Li Ying, 49 – list residences in San Gabriel, Calif.

An eighth woman, known only as “Vicki,” also has pending charges, but officers were unable to locate her when they descended on St. George Boulevard’s Japan Massage, Tabernacle Street’s Golden Coast Massage and Massage Therapy and Bluff Street’s Dixie Massage. Officers also visited a second Dixie Massage location in Washington City. An additional woman has been issued a citation.

“There are some of these people providing massages that are not licensed massage therapists. Of course, the business is required to have a license,” St. George Mayor Jon Pike said Wednesday. “With our current location, close to (Interstate 15) and Las Vegas, we’re a desirable place to live for a lot of people, but we don’t want to be desirable for this type of activity … just like with drugs and gangs.”

The women, who all have names that appear to be Asian in origin and work in businesses with street-front “Asian massage” signs or Internet listings promoting a “seductive” or “pretty” Asian staff, are all charged with misdemeanors.

Some residents say concerns about the situation go beyond the misdemeanor prostitution charges to issues of international human trafficking. See Sunday’s edition of The Spectrum & Daily News for more information on the local impact.

Wednesday’s news release states the arrests are part of an ongoing investigation into alleged Utah business license violations, prostitution and sexual solicitation. The local courts have seen an increased number of massage business-related prostitution cases during the past year, but prior arrests have targeted people reportedly operating out of homes, automobiles or hotel rooms.

Tuesday’s arrests were distinct in that they involved storefronts with permanent locations and signage. Japan Massage, at 328 E. St. George Boulevard, has advertised its presence for two years along a busy travel corridor within a block of The Spectrum & Daily News offices in the downtown business district.

Golden Coast Massage is located at 249 E. Tabernacle St., in the heart of the business district. Massage Therapy, at 425 E. Tabernacle St., is two blocks away. Dixie Massage has two reported locations – one at 225 N. Bluff St., near a popular bakery restaurant, and another in Washington City’s CottonTown Village at 43 N. 300 West, Suite A.

Dixie Massage

Li, also known as “Suzanne,” and Jin, also known as “Jenny,” were arrested at the Bluff Street location of Dixie Massage.

According to the SGPD news release, Li admitted to being employed as a massage therapist at the business for approximately one year. She also admitted she is not a licensed massage therapist and doesn't have a license to work as a massage therapist in the state of Utah, according to the release.

Prior to the warrant being served, an undercover officer entered the business for a massage. While the officer was there, Li offered to perform sexual acts on the officer in exchange for money, according to the news release.

The undercover officer declined the solicitation. During the course of the interview, Feng admitted to performing sex acts on “two to three clients," according to the news release.

Li was arrested on a class A misdemeanor charge of operating a massage parlor without a license and a class B misdemeanor count of prostitution.

The news release states the arrests of the other suspects followed a similar pattern.

After being informed of her Miranda Rights, Jin admitted to being employed at Dixie Massage as a massage therapist, performing foot and back massages for more than a year. She also admitted she is not a licensed massage therapist and does not have a license to work as a massage therapist in the state of Utah, according to the news release.

Jin was arrested on a class A misdemeanor charge of operating a massage parlor without a license.

At Dixie Massage's Washington City location, officers served a warrant and located Geman Li. She was issued a citation for a class A misdemeanor charge of operating a massage parlor without a license.

Japan Massage

At Japan Massage, officers encountered Olmstead and Liu. Both women were interviewed and admitted they weren't licensed in Utah to perform massages and they came to St. George specifically to make money doing massages, according to the news release.

Prior to serving the warrant at Japan Massage, an undercover officer entered the business for a massage and met “Vicki.” At that time, “Vicki” allegedly offered to perform sexual acts on the undercover officer in exchange for money, the news release states. The officer declined.

“Vicki” was not at the business during the execution of the warrant. A class A misdemeanor charge of operating a massage parlor without a license and a class B misdemeanor count of prostitution are pending. Olmstead and Liu were booked into the Purgatory Correctional Facility on a class A misdemeanor charge of operating a massage parlor without a license.

Golden Coast Massage

When investigators entered Golden Coast Massage, they encountered one female subject, and a second female subject arrived after the warrant was served, according to the news release. The women were later identified as Ying and Wang.

Ying admitted to being the owner and bringing employees to St. George to work as massage therapists, according to the complaint. She also admitted to performing massages at the business.

Ying was booked on a class A misdemeanor charge of operating a massage parlor without a license. Wang faces a similar charge, plus a class B sexual solicitation misdemeanor count because she allegedly negotiated with an undercover officer for sexual favors in exchange for money.

The undercover officer declined the services and left the business before the warrant was served, the news release states.

Massage Therapy

At Massage Therapy, an undercover police officer met Qin. Qin negotiated sexual favors in exchange for money, according to the news release. The undercover officer declined the services and left the business.

Qin was transported and booked into jail on a class A misdemeanor count of operating a massage parlor without a license and a class B misdemeanor count of prostitution.

Court records indicate all of the defendants were freed on a bail bond Wednesday afternoon except for Qin.

"This investigation is still ongoing. Evidence is currently being processed and more charges could be pending," the news release states.

Follow reporter Kevin Jenkins on Twitter, @SpectrumJenkins. Contact him at 435-674-6253.