Westfield police say what looked like a routine short-term rental in the city was actually operating as a prostitution site, and two people are now under arrest after officers executed a search warrant. Investigators allege they uncovered thousands of dollars in cash, cocaine and items tied to sex work inside the home, and have already asked prosecutors to consider additional charges.
According to WISH-TV, officers arrested Chaopeng Chen and Qingping Chen during the raid. Police charged Chaopeng Chen with promoting prostitution and cocaine possession, while Qingping Chen faces a misdemeanor prostitution count. Investigators say the FBI and Homeland Security were involved in the probe, and that officers secured a search warrant before going into the property. Inside, they reported finding more than $7,500 in cash, cocaine and additional items they say were connected to prostitution.
Police allege multiple men traveled to the rental after agreeing to pay for sex acts, and that Chaopeng Chen acted as a kind of front-desk operator, checking people in and out. Detectives asked the Hamilton County prosecutor’s office to charge the man seen entering the home with making an unlawful proposition. At the time of the search, that man had not been formally charged. Investigators say they are still interviewing witnesses and going through evidence.
Short-term rentals and neighborhood concerns
The bust has added fuel to ongoing worries about how short-term rentals can turn into pop-up hubs for crime or disruptive gatherings. Hoodline previously covered the Fountain Square Airbnb raid, where officers reported finding weapons and suspected narcotics at another rental property. Cases like these have neighbors pushing for more oversight and have sparked city-level talk about tightening the rules around short-term stays.
What’s next for the case
Chaopeng Chen remains charged with promoting prostitution and cocaine possession, and Qingping Chen faces a misdemeanor prostitution charge, according to WISH-TV. Westfield police also asked the Hamilton County prosecutor’s office to pursue an unlawful proposition charge against the man who was seen entering the house, but the department told the station it is not naming him because no formal charge has been filed. Online jail records list Chaopeng Chen’s home address as Brooklyn, New York, and prosecutors will decide whether to bring additional counts.
Investigators say the case is still active. Local officers and their federal partners continue to review evidence and interview potential witnesses, and police have held back further details beyond what they have already shared with investigators.
