BUFFALO, N.Y. — Cheektowaga Police have arrested two people in connection with a Union Road massage parlor they say was a front for prostitution and sex trafficking.
Police on Wednesday arrested Xiaohua Huang, 41, who they say was the operator of Little Foot Spa, and charged her with promoting prostitution and unauthorized practice of a profession. Both charges are felonies.
They also arrested Yanlin Tang, 52, who they say was allegedly providing sexual services at the spa. Tang was charged with prostitution, a misdemeanor, and unlicensed practice of a profession, a felony under New York's education law.
Cheektowaga Police said they began investigating the spa after learning about the findings of a 2 On Your Side Investigation, to be published next week, about unlicensed spas in Western New York.
Huang will be arraigned Thursday morning at Cheektowaga Town Court. Tang was released on an appearance ticket, according to Officer Jennifer Szymborski, public information officer for Cheektowaga Police.
The arrests came a day after Cheektowaga Police, New York State Police and federal Homeland Security agents raided the spa on suspicions that it was an illegal front for prostitution. Police also raided Four Seasons Spa in Depew, which they say was connected to the Cheektowaga location. They seized more than $81,000 in cash from the two businesses.
Police said they also suspect the spas are part of a larger sex trafficking operation preying on vulnerable Asian women, including some who are undocumented immigrants. Some of the women were living in apartments connected to the Cheektowaga spa.
The recent police action follows a federal raid of a Lockport spa where police say sexual services were being sold. Federal agents arrested Chinese national Linian Song on interstate prostitution charges after that raid. It is unclear whether the Cheektowaga and Depew spas are connected to New Elegant Shiatsu Spa in Lockport.
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