2 women arrested and charged with prostitution at Maryland massage parlors: police

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. - The Montgomery County Police Department has arrested and charged two women at massage parlors in Maryland with prostitution-related charges. 

The suspects have been identified as 34-year-old Chang Liu, of Columbia, Maryland and 50-year-old Yinlian Wu, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

According to police, Liu owned massage parlors in Montgomery County, Anne Arundel County, and the City of Laurel, Maryland, which offered illicit sex acts in exchange for U.S. currency.   

As a result, detectives initiated a 6-month joint investigation involving the Anne Arundel County and the City of Laurel Police Departments.

In October 2023, human trafficking detectives became aware of possible prostitution and sex trafficking occurring at the Elegant Spa in the 10500 block of Metropolitan Avenue in Kensington, Maryland.

Detectives observed dozens of predominately male customers entering and exiting Elegant Spa daily. Detectives obtained multiple admissions of illicit sexual activity in exchange for U.S. currency that occurred inside the business. Detectives were also informed that a spa employee attempted to bribe an inspector from the Health and Human Services (HHS) during an inspection of the business to prevent the inspector from shutting down the business.

On Wednesday, March 6, 2024, detectives executed a search and seizure warrant at Elegant Spa. Liu was located inside the spa and placed under arrest on the strength of an arrest warrant, charging her with multiple counts of sex trafficking and prostitution. Wu was also arrested on the strength of an arrest warrant, charging her with attempted bribery of an HHS inspector and multiple counts of prostitution.

Detectives also learned that Liu, Wu, and two other women were living inside the spa at various times throughout the investigation.

They were both released after posting bond.