WAITE PARK, Minn. — A St. Cloud-area couple is charged with sex trafficking and promotion of prostitution after an investigation of activity at a local massage parlor.
A criminal complaint alleges that 48-year old Sufeng Jiang and her boyfriend, 49-year-old Randy Carl Wittner, were profiting off the sexual services of an employee at Jiang's Waite Park business, Oriental Massage.
The investigation began with a complaint filed June 10 with the Central Minnesota Human Trafficking Task Force about suspicious activity at Oriental Massage. The tipster said men were parking away from the business, not in the parking lot, and then walking by suspiciously before entering the business. There were also reports there was a shower inside the business, leading investigators to believe sexual acts were being committed.
Between June 18 and June 21 investigators put Oriental Massage under surveillance, and detectives saw numerous men entering and leaving the business. They stopped and spoke to customers, most of whom denied engaging in sexual activity. Three men, however, confirmed that after receiving a massage they paid extra for a sex act.
Investigators eventually entered the business for an inspection and found the owner, Jiang, along with an employee who told them she was forced to perform sex acts by Jiang. She said she was forced to work 12-hour days, and also forced to live at a trailer with Jiang and Wittner. The woman said she was made to split profits from performing sex acts 50-50 with Jiang, and worried for her safety.
When questioned by detectives Jiang denied any sex acts were being performed at her business, but did say she received half the profits from the victim's massage work.
Wittner allegedly told authorities that he met Jiang when he received a massage at her business, and that the two lived together. He said the victim stayed with them in the trailer "at times," but denied receiving money from the massage or sex business.
A search of Oriental Massage and the couple's trailer turned up large amounts of cash and numerous electronic devices, all of which are being gone through.
