WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.-- A third woman who investigators say they have connected to an alleged human trafficking/prostitution operation at a Jupiter day spa appeared before a judge Wednesday morning.
Investigators say Hua Zhang solicited, enticed and procured other women to commit prostitution.
Her attorney said there was no proof his client knew there was prostitution activity going on in the rooms of the Orchids of Asia Day Spa. But the state said, according to the probable cause affidavit, Zhang is caught on surveillance engaging in sexual activity with male #15 during the surveillance detail.
The attorney for the state also said police say she accepted money from a male and led a female employee to the room with the male where the alleged sexual activity occurred.
Zhang is the president of the business and was seen going over business receipts , writing on legal pads, and using calculators and their cellphones. The affidavit says during the course of covert surveillance operation charges were developed for 26 male customers who paid money to Zhang.
Two women are accused of running separate sexual trafficking operations out of local day spas from Jupiter to Hobe Sound.
In a news conference Tuesday, Martin County Sheriff William Snyder announced the results of an 8-month, multi-agency investigation into alleged sexual trafficking operations out of local day spas from Jupiter to Hobe Sound.One of the spas listed was Orchids of Asia.
Ruimei Li, 49, of Jupiter and Lixia Zhu, 49, of Stuart were arrested in connection to the investigation. Sheriff Snyder said dozens and dozens of arrests are yet to come.
In court Wednesday the judge set Zhang's bond and the stipulations she must meet if she is able to make bail.
Judge decides bond to be 250k count 1 plus in house arrest and cannot work at a massage or spa business, she has to surrender travel documents, cannot contact anyone involved. Misdemeanor charges will be 1k each and any felony will be 3k. @WPTV
— Michelle Quesada (@M_Quesada) February 20, 2019