An undercover Polk County Sheriff’s Office vice operation at a Lakeland massage parlor ended with both a worker and the business owner facing criminal charges last week, county officials say.
Detectives checked New Oriental Massage on Lakeland Highlands Road as part of an ongoing probe into possible illegal activity and human trafficking. A worker was taken into custody after allegedly grabbing an undercover detective, and investigators later charged the business owner.
#Breaking PCSO Vice Unit arrests two in massage parlor operation
— Polk County Sheriff 🚔 Grady Judd (@PolkCoSheriff) June 30, 2026
During a check at the New Oriental Massage located at 2934 Lakeland Highlands Road in Lakeland, 52-year-old Qiaoli Zhang of Lakeland was arrested for Committing Lewd Acts (M2) after she grabbed the detective's… pic.twitter.com/uoSDjW1f9C
Undercover Check At New Oriental Massage
According to a Polk County Sheriff’s Office news release, undercover detectives entered New Oriental Massage last Monday and arrested 52-year-old Qiaoli Zhang of Lakeland after she allegedly grabbed a detective’s groin.
The release, posted last Tuesday, states that Zhang was not licensed to perform massage therapy and was charged with committing lewd acts (M2), unlicensed massage (M1) and violation of massage practices (M1). She was transported to the Polk County Jail, and the release notes that contact was made with ICE because Zhang is pending asylum status.
Owner Charged With Prostitution-Related Counts
Sheriff Grady Judd highlighted the arrests again on X today, saying detectives traced the massage-therapy establishment license to 36-year-old Zhike Chai, the parlor’s owner.
Chai was charged with maintaining a place for prostitution (M2), deriving proceeds (F2) and employing an unlicensed massage therapist (M1). In his post, Judd reiterated that his office is focused on identifying possible victims while making sure businesses operate within Florida law.
Part Of A Larger County Crackdown
This is not Polk County’s first massage-parlor sweep. In recent years, the sheriff’s office has run similar undercover operations, including a multiday sting that resulted in 21 arrests and drew sustained local coverage of massage-parlor enforcement.
Those earlier operations prompted increased scrutiny of licensing and record-keeping at such establishments, according to prior reporting.
Legal Note
The sheriff’s release also says there is currently no evidence that Zhang is a victim of human trafficking. Sheriff Grady Judd wrote, "Our detectives will continue to check these types of businesses to identify and help the victims of human trafficking," and his office reiterated that it seeks compliance with Florida statutes. Polk County Sheriff’s Office news release
