In a series of coordinated raids yesterday, law enforcement officials from Greensburg and Pennsylvania State Police descended on four massage parlors in Westmoreland County, resulting in two women being arrested on charges of prostitution. As WPXI reported, Peiyun Zhang was arraigned and charged with prostitution and soliciting sexual acts at Mu’s Asian Massage Parlor in Greensburg. Similarly, less than a block away from the police station, Hailan Zhou was apprehended and faces corresponding charges for her activities at Li’s Massage on Main.
Both operations involved undercover officers who were solicited for sexual favors during the course of a massage. Serving warrants simultaneously, the officials ensured they did not "disrupt or interject into each other's investigation," Trooper Steve Limani said, as detailed by WPXI. A curious fact was that while police have seized cash, records, and banking information, the parlors remain operational as authorities cannot close them currently. They are trying to determine if these acts were part of individual choices or a broader orchestrated operation, as these establishments are no strangers to law enforcement scrutiny.
According to TribLIVE, in conjunction with the arrests, several women were taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the Greensburg parlors on deportation orders. Greensburg police Chief Charles Irvin highlighted the coordinated nature of the raid, saying, "This cooperative effort demonstrates our continued commitment to protecting vulnerable individuals and ensuring that those who exploit them are held accountable."
During the course of the investigation, Greensburg police consulted with their peers from Murrysville regarding similar cases, suggesting a possible pattern across the region. "It’s more about trying to find out if this was individuals that were choosing to do this, if it was a part of a broader scale operation," said Limani, as reported by TribLIVE.
They were denied bond, and preliminary hearings have been scheduled for later in the month, with deportation looming as a consequence in at least one case.
