Police are calling a Rockville, Maryland, massage parlor a “house of prostitution,” and its owner is facing charges of prostitution and human trafficking.
Montgomery County police said 47-year-old Emily Zhang Lawrence, who owns Rose’s Spa, was collecting money for illicit sexual acts performed by employees.
Police got a tip in February that the massage parlor employed Chinese immigrants from Flushing, New York, as prostitutes. Flushing is a well-known national hub for human trafficking.
In a four-month investigation, police stopped 18 male customers who admitted to paying for massages and receiving sexual favors. Police say Lawrence was housing the women she employed in a condo on Gunners Branch Road.
Lawrence was arrested on July 24. A trial is set for Aug. 30.
