Chicago Criminal Lawyer Blog
The owner of a massage parlor was arrested and charged with prostitution in an investigation launched by authorities in Wisconsin.
Undercover officers covertly investigated Asian Massage Reflexology in New Berlin, a city between Chicago and Milwaukee, after being informed that staff were engaging in sexual activity with clients in addition to the massages provided.
The owner, Jing Zhang, was charged with maintaining a place of prostitution. If convicted, she is facing a maximum sentence of six years in prison, according to court records.
In May 2016, police came across an online ad for Zhang’s business. In a complaint filed with the Waukesha County Circuit Court, the ad offered services from “young, sweet, and friendly” Japanese and other Asian girls. The ad continued to mention that “new hot girls,” rotated every 14 days, provided body rubs and table showers in VIP rooms.
From May 2016 to March 2017, investigators amassed detailed information from numerous sources who had been researching similar illegal massage parlors around Green Bay and other areas.
Between April and August that same year, a confidential informant went to Zhang’s business. During the course of his massage, he was supposedly encouraged to inappropriately touch the masseuse. On another occasion, he was touched inappropriately by the masseuse as he was getting dressed according to the complaint.
While driving, Zhang, a Chicago native, was pulled over for a broken tail light. Police conducted a criminal background check, which revealed numerous prostitution charges in Indiana and Wisconsin. The officer, believing Zhang may be transporting drugs, executed a search with a canine. Almost $8,500 in cash was found in the vehicle.
Further investigation revealed Zhang’s ties to Asian Massage Reflexology. Her first court appearance is next month.
If you have been charged with or arrested for prostitution, a prostitution defense attorney in Chicago can assist you with your case.
Primary Defense Against Prostitution Charges
Even with all of the federal and state prostitution laws in place, prostitution is still a major problem in the U.S. It not only takes place in major cities, but in small towns as well.
Every case will have its own unique set of variables. Defense attorneys will be required to utilize different strategies. Those strategies will depend not only on the crime involved, but the penalties their clients may face. So, each defense must be customized to each case.
One of the most common strategies to defend against charges of prostitution is to claim entrapment. This occurs when law enforcement has induced or urged an individual to engage in a sexual act. This strategy is used in circumstances in which the police aggressively encourage someone to participate in certain activity. The entrapment can be in the form of:
- Being in contact with someone online
- An undercover sting operation
- Repeatedly making requests to exchange money for services
A person can be trapped when they indirectly or directly act in a way that suggests they are complicit in the crime. Frequently, the individual arrested had no idea a crime was taking place. The entrapment defense is to argue that the accused would not have engaged in such activity if law enforcement had not been so insistent.
The Best Prostitution Defense Attorney in Chicago
As the city of Chicago continues its never-ending battle with crime, the tactics employed by law enforcement are becoming more sophisticated. In some cases, they are becoming more deceptive, as well. Suspects are entrapped instead of being caught in any actual criminal activity.
Wiretaps and other forms of surveillance are the norm. If you are in the wrong place at the wrong time, you could be caught up in the police’s dragnet.
Chicago criminal defense attorney David L. Freidberg has years of experience defending clients against state prostitution charges. Contact our firm the moment you are entangled in a situation of this nature. The sooner you contact us, the more effectively we can build your defense.
Schedule an appointment or call (312) 560-7100 today so we can protect you from serious charges.
(image courtesy of Kristina Flour)
