Albany police arrested 10 women working out of four Asian massage spas in the Town of Colonie following an Albany County Sheriff’s Office investigation into potential human trafficking.
Authorities were informed several Asian massage spas in Colonie were allegedly conducting business without proper licenses and were fronts for prostitution. The county Sheriff’s Criminal Investigations Unit conducted undercover operations at four Chinese-operated spas on Thursday, Jan. 15, with the 10 women arrested that day.
Investigators answered advertisements posted on a website offering full service massages. Once at the spas, investigators were led into private rooms for massages, where women offered sexual services for an extra fee.
From the first location, Jing Jing You, 29, of Brooklyn was charged with prostitution and unauthorized practice of a profession. Jing Jay Zhang, 28, of Flushing, and Yanyun Xie, 32, of Flushing, were charged with unauthorized practice of a profession. Chi Chick Cheng, 40, of Flushing, was charged with promoting prostitution.
From the second location, Juan Chen, 40, of Brooklyn, and Yanlin Gao, 42, of Syracuse, were charged with unauthorized practice of a profession. Chen was also charged with prostitution.
From the third location, Jie Wang, 33, of Flushing, and Yunxia Li, 24, of Flushing, were charged with unauthorized practice of a profession. Wang was also charged with prostitution.
From the fourth location, Qin Yu Wang, 55, of Flushing, and Haiping Wang, 45, of Flushing, were charged with prostitution and unauthorized practice of a profession.
