The operators of four Rockville massage parlors are facing human-trafficking and prostitution-related charges.
Montgomery County police said Friday that investigators began probing the businesses in September and found that they were were “havens” for human trafficking. Prostitution brothels were operating under the guise of being massage or acupressure parlors, according to police.
Authorities charged 31-year-old Mauricio Alexa Garcia Guardia, operator of Executive Body Work at 966 Hungerford Drive; 48-year-old Howard Hao Wang, operator of Tropical Spa at 620 Hungerford Drive; 47-year-old Robert Carrasco, operator of Pink Spa at 932 Hungerford Drive; and 46-year-old Feng Liu, operator of Ya Ya Spa at 751 Rockville Pike.
Guardia, Wang and Liu are charged with human trafficking; all four men are charged with conducting prostitution.
Police said the investigation into the businesses began after authorities saw a large increase in the number of massage parlors being advertised in the adult-services sections of online advertisement sites. The police department was also receiving a number of complaints about illegal activities at the businesses, authorities said.
