VERO BEACH — Two women connected to a human trafficking operation ring at local massage parlors took plea deals, allowing prosecutors to drop racketeering charges against them, court records show.
In February, law enforcement arrested more than 100 people, including spa operators and men who participated in the sex acts. Several people were identified as the group who managed the undercover acts.
Yaping Ren, 27, of Orlando, and Junhua Dong, 50, of Vero Beach, were charged with racketeering, engaging in prostitution and deriving support from proceeds from prostitution, records show. In mid June and July, both pled guilty to the lesser charge of engaging in prostitution in exchange for the racketeering and other charges to be thrown out, officials said.
The maximum possible penalty for engaging in prostitution is 60 days at the county jail, six months probation or a $500 fine, records show. The maximum penalty for racketeering include a fine of up to $25,000 and up to 20 years in prison, along with seizure of all money and other gains from the criminal activity.
The deals for Ren and Dong follow plea deals made by Yan Xu, 52, and Kenneth Zullo, 65, both of Sebastian. Zullo and Xu also had their racketeering charges dropped in their plea deals.
Ren was given credit for 138 days served at the county jail. Dong was given 114 days of credit, court records show.
As part of the plea deal, Ren and Dong were ordered to undergo tests for sexually transmitted diseases. Ren was also ordered to pay nearly $2,600 for investigative costs, records show.
Dong was ordered to serve 60 days at the jail, pay $100 for prosecution costs and pay nearly $1,700 for investigative costs.
The spas where police said the acts took place were:
- East Spa, 2345 14th Ave., Vero Beach
- East Spa, 1410A Gene St., Winter Park
- Rainbow Spa, 1809-2, E. Colonial Drive, Orlando
- East Sea Spa, 13401 U.S. 1, Sebastian
- AA Massage, 1547 U.S. 1, Sebastian
