Massage Parlor Manager Of Watchung Promoted Prostitution: Police

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Xiaoman Zhang, 56, of Watchung was charged with 3rd-degree promoting prostitution and promoting prostitution in a school zone.

WATCHUNG, NJ — A Watchung local was among four Westfield massage parlors managers to be arrested with offering clients sexual acts for cash, acting Union County Prosecutor Michael A. Monahan and acting Westfield Police Chief Christopher Battiloro jointly announced Friday.

Qingxia Zhu, 28, of Westfield, Jing Liu, 53, of Linden, Xiaoman Zhang, 56, of Watchung, and Michelle X. Gao, 60, of Springfield are charged with third-degree promoting prostitution and promoting prostitution in a school zone, a fourth-degree offense. Liu is additionally charged with second-degree money laundering.

Zhang along with the other three were found to be promoting prostitution at their locations at Chan Spa on the 500 block of North Avenue East, Central Avenue Spa on the 700 block of Central Avenue, Natural Massage Therapy on the 400 block of Boulevard, and Sunny Spa on the 900 block of South Avenue West, according to Union County Assistant Prosecutor Michael Sheets, who is prosecuting the case.

A search of the four locations and a fifth location on the 100 block of West Stimpson Avenue in Linden Wednesday afternoon, found about $16,000 in cash and items of value such as ledgers, receipts, phones, and computers, according to Sheets.

The arrests came following a joint investigation that was launched in December 2017 by the New Jersey State Police Trafficking Central Unit and Westfield Police Department, Union County Prosecutor’s Office’s Special Victims Unit and members of the Union County Sheriff’s Office.

The four managers will be scheduled to appear in Superior Court in the coming weeks. They could face 3 to 5 years in state prison if convicted on the third-degree criminal charges.

Anyone with additional information about their activities is being urged to contact Westfield Police Department Detective Jason Merritt at 908-789-6081 or State Police Detective Mark Wettengel at 609-649-5321.

(Images via Union County Prosecutor's Office)

Photo 1 - Xiaoman Zhang, 56, of Watchung

Photo 2 - Michelle X. Gao, 60, of Springfield

Photo 3 - Jing Liu, 53, of Linden

Photo 4 - Qingxia Zhu, 28, of Westfield

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