NORFOLK, Va. — Three people are awaiting trial after an investigation into a Virginia Beach based prostitution ring led to their arrest in May. A recently released affidavit reveals new details about how law enforcement build the case against them.
According to the affidavit from Special Agent John Roberts with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the months long investigation uncovered a network of massage parlors in Virginia Beach and Williamsburg that were used to facilitate commercial sex.
In January, The Virginia Beach Police Department received a crime solvers tip detailing information about a Shell Road spa possibly operating as a brothel.
VBPD conducted an undercover operation in which they made contact with one of the women who allegedly performed sex acts for the organization, the affidavit said.
That woman was cooperative with investigators, and she provided insight into the inner workings of the larger trafficking operation, which she said was expansive and being run from China and New York.
Through a series of undercover operations after that, VBPD and federal investigators were able to build a case against the suspected parlors that ultimately led to the arrest of Yang Gao, 33, Ye Wang, 32, and Si Liu, 35, in May.
They were charged with sex trafficking, pimping or receiving money from a prostitute and two other charges.
Previous coverage: 3 arrested in Virginia Beach for human trafficking
The July affidavit reveals that the investigation started with investigators locating online ads for the suspected brothels with pictures of scantily clad women, phone numbers and services listed.
VBPD VICE then initiated an undercover operation that involved a detective going to one of the spas on Shell Road. According to the affidavit, he was approached by a woman who took him to a room where they agreed that he would get a half hour massage for $50.
After the detective paid her the money, the affidavit states the woman guided the detective through undressing, receiving a massage and then negotiating and taking additional payment and preparing for sexual acts. The detective made up an excuse and left the business, according to the affidavit.
Investigators conducted several of these undercover operations and then began regular surveillance.
By watching the spas, agents identified a 2013 Lexus they suspected of being involved in the operation, the affidavit said. That Lexus was found to be registered to Yang Gao of Norfolk. Additional record checks showed that Si Liu was his wife.
When investigators showed the landlord of the Shell Road Spa a picture of Liu, the landlord confirmed that she was the person who he had done business with, but said she was operating under a different name, the affidavit said. The landlord also confirmed that Liu was Gao's wife.
According to the affidavit, investigative team set up a camera to watch one of the spas and tapped the phones of the numbers listed on the advertisements.
During that surveillance, detectives determined that Ye Wang was an associate of Gao's.
Investigators then obtained Dominion Energy records for multiple suspects and suspected locations. Those records showed that the account for the Princess Anne Road Spa was listed under the business name, "Amy Massage LLC."
According to the affidavit, the customer associated with Amy Massage account had indicated that they lived in Brooklyn, New York.
The investigation culminated on May 4 when VBPD and Homeland Security Investigators executed seven state search warrants at three residences and four suspected spa locations in Virginia Beach, Norfolk and Williamsburg.
They also executed state search warrants on suspected bank accounts with bank of America and Navy Federal Credit Union.
The searches turned up around $90,000 cash, condoms, cell phones connected to the spas, leasing agreements for the spas and more that led to the three arrests that day.
The three defendants' trials are set for March 28, 2023 at 10 a.m. in Norfolk Courtroom 3.
