Prostitution

A joint investigation by the Lehigh County Drug Task Force and South Whitehall Township police has resulted in prostitution and related charges against six women.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security assisted in the investigation into illegal activities at the Aries Spa at 3333 Hamilton Blvd.

Detectives charged the women with prostitution and related

offenses Jan. 8. Charged were: Xu Mya Gui Yue, 51, Jinyu Candy Yang, 43; Kim Young Soon, 55; Sun Mi Gege Lee, 36, and Xian Sara Shun Zi, 37; all of Queens, N.Y. and Pun Son Hutcheson, 61, of Vernon, Conn. The charges against five of the women are misdemeanors of the third degree.

Hutcheson is charged with a felony for promoting prostitution.

Detectives executed search warrants at the spa and seized $12,000 in cash, condoms, various documents, cell phones, a tablet computer and a laptop.

Affidavits of probable cause prepared by Adam Knoblauch of the Drug Task Force allege:

From 2008 to 2014, the South Whitehall Township Police Department received sporadic complaints about the Aries Spa, including men entering and leaving the back of the building, which is located in a strip mall, possible sexual activity occurring inside and female employees living at the spa.

In fall of 2014, police received additional information as a result of the ongoing investigation and were able to cultivate confidential informants who provided sufficient evidence for a search warrant for the business. Detectives also conducted surveillance on numerous occasions.

In November 2014, the owner of the building notified police he suspected there was sexual activity occurring in the spa and he had an ongoing problem with male patrons entering and exiting the back of the building. The owner said he later prohibited spa patrons from using the back entrance and he hired private investigators.

The investigators' reports detailed massages and sexual acts were performed in September 2014 and how much employees of the spa were paid.

Detectives did Internet searches and found sites featuring customers' testimonials describing sexual acts at the spa.

The police investigation found other spa patrons who told police they paid for sexual acts at the spa.

As in every criminal case, the fact that an arrest has occurred or a complaint has been filed is merely an accusation; and the defendants, Xu Mya Gui Yue; Jinyu Candy Yang; Kim Young Soon; Pun Son Hutcheson; Sun Mi Gege Lee; and Xian Sara Shun Zi, are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.