Police are looking for other potential victims after the arrest of a New York woman accused of sex trafficking in Maryland.
Montgomery County police arrested 63-year-old Yang Jiang, of New York, on a charge of prostitution last January. On Saturday, she was also charged with two counts of sex trafficking.
“This arrest is the third incident in recent months involving an illicit spa and human trafficking in Montgomery County. This underscores the real and rising threat posed by human trafficking in the region,” Chief of Police Marcus Jones said.
Police said Jiang operated an unlicensed spa within the 14800 block of Physicians Lane in Rockville. They started an investigation in November, after finding ads with scantily-clad women on a website known for soliciting prostitution.
Police observed men entering and leaving the spa. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant in December and carried it out in January.
One victim told police she was hired by Jiang to provide massages and that she could make extra money by providing sexual services to customers.
“Victims of human trafficking are not always forced into trafficking by brute, physical means. Victims are often coerced into being trafficked over a period of time through deliberate, psychological tactics used by their traffickers, so the signs of trafficking may not always be obvious,” Jones said in a statement.
Anyone with information about Jiang should call Montgomery County police’s Vice and Intelligence Unit at 240-773-5958. Callers may remain anonymous.
“There are several ways that victims of trafficking can obtain help and can contact either the police department directly or the Montgomery County Crisis Center,” Jones said. The Crisis Center number is 240-777-4000. You may also call 911.
