Human trafficking in Florida massage parlors: What happened in Vero Beach and Sebastian? -...

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Mary Helen Moore Treasure Coast Newspapers

Published 7:01 PM EST Feb 21, 2019


VERO BEACH — A six-month investigation revealed human traffickers were luring vulnerable girls to massage parlors in Indian River County, where they were coerced into working as prostitutes, police announced Thursday.

Ten spas from the Orlando area through the Treasure Coast into Palm Beach County were shut down Tuesday as law enforcement began making arrests.

Vero Beach Police Chief David Currey said he believes the investigation "put a heck of a dent in human trafficking and sex trade" locally.

Indian River County agencies issued warrants for 173 people, on charges ranging from human trafficking to racketeering to soliciting prostitution.

What we know: Human trafficking on the Treasure Coast

Currey said it was important for them to attack the people at the top, because many of the women are considered victims, trapped into a life of prostitution.

"These girls are there all day long, into the evening. They can't leave and they're performing sex acts," Currey said. "Some of them may tell us they're OK, but they're not. We know that… even though we may have charges on some of them, we'd rather them be victims."

More than 50 of the 165 men accused of paying for sex acts had been arrested as of Thursday night. Many are from Brevard and St. Lucie counties. They ranged in age from 19 to 84.

Where were the spas?


Five spas with ties to Indian River County were shut down in Tuesday raids:

• East Spa: 2345 14th Ave., Suite 10, Vero Beach
• AA Massage: 1547 U.S. 1, Sebastian
• East Sea Spa: 13401 U.S. 1, Sebastian
• East Spa: 1410A Gene St., Winter Park
• Rainbow Spa: 1809-2 E. Colonial Drive, Orlando

More: Indian River spas connected to human trafficking arrests opened within past two years

More: Martin County spas connected to human trafficking arrests opened within past three years

Who was behind them?


Six "major players" have been charged:

• Lanyun Ma, 49, of Orlando: Charged with human trafficking, racketeering, unlawful transportation for the purpose of prostitution, deriving support from proceeds of prostitution and engaging in prostitution. Her bail was set at $155,500.
• Liyan Zhang, 41, of Pompano Beach: Charged with racketeering, operating a house of prostitution and 30 counts of engaging in prostitution. Her bail was set at $115,500.
• Junhua Dong, 50, of Vero Beach: Charged with racketeering, deriving support from proceeds of prostitution and engaging in prostitution. Her bail was set at $250,000.
• Yan Xu, 51, of Sebastian: Charged with racketeering, deriving support from proceeds of prostitution and engaging in prostitution. Her bail was set at $150,500.
• Kenneth Zullo, 64, of Sebastian: Charged with racketeering. His bail was set at $100,000.
• Yaping Ren, 27, of Orlando: Charged with racketeering, deriving support from prostitution and engaging in prostitution. No bail information was available.

Two remain at large:

• Peixia Zhang, 47, of Vero Beach: Wanted on charges of racketeering, deriving support from proceeds of prostitution and engaging in prostitution. Police said she is believed to be on the West Coast.
• Lanfen Ma, 43, of Orlando: Wanted on charges of racketeering, deriving support from proceeds of prostitution and engaging in prostitution. Police said she is believed to be outside the country.

If any are released before trial, they must surrender their passports.

More: Human trafficking in Florida massage parlors: What we know about arrests on Treasure Coast

'Sexual servitude'


The Vero Beach spa is owned by Orlando resident Yongzhang Yan. He also owns AA Massage in Sebastian and the Winter Park and Orlando spas.

Yan is married to Lanyun Ma, who was in charge of the day-to-day operations at the Vero Beach location, police said.

She collected most of the payments at the spa's front desk, took the money to the banks and wrote checks to employees. Detectives also observed her purchasing condoms, food and water for the business.

More: Details in spa sex, human trafficking released; neighbor says case 'like a movie'

But that's not all.

Detectives watched the Orlando couple transport multiple women with suitcases to and from the spa, "for the purpose of sexual servitude," according to her arrest warrant.

Police said victims, identified in court records as Jane Does, lived inside the spas and worked as prostitutes. Some stayed for days, others for months.

None were allowed to leave on their own. They did not have their own vehicles and generally spoke Mandarin or Cantonese, not English.

Currey said many came from China on temporary work visas, indebted to the the brokers who helped them reach America, but believing legitimate jobs awaited them.

"Some of them are trying to make a better life for themselves," he said. "These people truly are stuck."

They were shamed, intimidated and taught not to speak to law enforcement or immigration officials.

More: Human trafficking on the Treasure Coast: Who was arrested?

Others answered what they thought were legitimate ads for masseuse jobs, but soon were pressured into doing more.

Zullo also was seen transporting women between the Vero Beach and Sebastian spas and to various other locations, including the Orlando International Airport, according to his arrest warrant.

Detectives placed a tracking device on his vehicle as he walked on the beach one day.

Bank records revealed the spa owners also paid for Backpage.com advertisements.

Backpage was a website for classified personal ads shut down by the federal government in April when its founders were charged with facilitating prostitution and money laundering.

Health department complaint


A health department complaint at East Sea Spa, located just outside of Sebastian, launched an Indian River County Sheriff’s Office investigation in October.

An employee conducting a routine inspection reported concerns after seeing clothing, suitcases, food, bedding and other signs people were living inside.

Liyan Zhang owned and managed the business.

Surveillance revealed she and her employees worked as prostitutes, offering sexual services in their four massage rooms, according to her arrest warrant.

More: Large human trafficking ring busted across Treasure Coast, Palm Beach and Orange counties

In December and January, deputies stopped men as they exited the spa after paying for sex acts.

"These 'johns,' either knowingly or unknowingly, were certainly supplying the funds to perpetuate human trafficking," Sheriff Deryl Loar said.

When Liyan Zhang was arrested, she had $22,000 cash in her purse, according to Loar, who said the business was estimated to generate more than $1 million annually.

Undercover in Vero Beach


An investigation into East Spa began in August because of "numerous citizen complaints," arrest records showed.

Preliminary surveillance revealed a steady stream of predominantly male clients at the downtown spa.

In September, a Vero Beach detective twice visited undercover, equipped with a camera, a recorder and cash.

Each time, he asked for a 30-minute massage, paid $50 and was escorted to a dimly lit room.

After a rubdown, his masseuse would offer various sexual favors — intercourse for $160 to $200, oral sex for $100 and stimulation by hand for $40 to $60. Each time, the detective said he was short on cash and would return.

More: Third woman charged in connection with human trafficking ring on Treasure Coast, Jupiter

The second time, a woman seemed to get suspicious, asking, "You trouble? You police?"

In November, Circuit Judge Cynthia Cox approved the secret installation of surveillance cameras inside.

Between Nov. 30 and Jan. 10, police observed 140 sex acts performed for money, resulting in charges against several of the spa's employees, including Xu, Ren and Dong, and the spa's manager, Lanyun Ma.

Ren was arrested at the Orlando spa, which she recently began managing.

Need help? See something?


The National Human Trafficking Hotline is confidential, toll-free and available 24/7 in more than 200 languages.

• Call: 1-888-373-7888
• Text: “BeFree” (233733)
• Chat: humantraffickinghotline.org

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