CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. – An undercover operation by the Christiansburg Police Department netted five arrests and resulted in the closure of three massage parlors within town limits.
On Wednesday, police executed search warrants at the following three massage parlors as the result of a three-month investigation:
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- Sunshine Spa at 3224 North Franklin Street
- Spring Spa at 2115 Roanoke Street
- Oasis Day Spa at 2150 Roanoke Street
Police said they launched the investigation after receiving complaints from people about illicit sexual activity happening at these establishments.
The Christiansburg Police Department’s Vice Unit launched the undercover operation where officers bought massage services that were advertised by these businesses.
Each time, during the legitimate massage, the officers, without asking for anything else, were offered sexual services in exchange for an additional fee, according to police.
To make sure that this behavior wasn’t the act of an individual employee, these officers visited these establishments multiple times and said that each time, they received similar offers of sexual services.
In announcing the arrests made Wednesday, the police department made it clear that no officers ever partook in any of the services being offered.
All three spas where police executed warrants have had their business licenses suspended and are no longer allowed to operate in Christiansburg.
Police charged the following five people with the following misdemeanors:
- Qilin Cai, 47, of Vinton
- Youmei Yang, 43, of Christiansburg
- Sexual battery
- Prostitution
- Operating a bawdy place
- Hongling Zheng, 54, of Christiansburg
- Sexual battery
- Prostitution
- Operating a bawdy place
- Yumin Tang, 56, of Christiansburg
- Operating a bawdy place
- Xeuming Sun, 57, of Christiansburg
- Operating a bawdy place
- Operating a massage parlor with no massage therapy license
The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, Radford City Police Department and the United States Department of Homeland Security assisted Christiansburg police with this investigation.
Now, police are working to determine if what was happening at these businesses has any connection to sex trafficking or other businesses in the area.
“The Christiansburg Police Department recognizes that while activity like this is at times thought of as a ‘victimless crime’ that is far from the truth. These businesses are often linked to sex trafficking and their continued operation facilitates the victimization of many vulnerable members of society, often including those who seek to immigrate to this country in search of a better life but instead find themselves forced into a life of sexual servitude. For those reasons, we are committed to thoroughly investigating and working with our Commonwealth’s Attorney to prosecute crimes of this nature,” said Assistant Police Chief Maj. Chris Ramsey.