Five-year Prison Sentences Announced in Johnson County Massage Parlor Trafficking Case

October 14, 2009 | Kansas City - Two Chinese nationals charged two years ago in a large sex trafficking operation in Johnson County apologized today to the court and the United States before a judge sent them to prison. In a three-hour hearing, Cheng Tang, 23, and Zhong Yan Liu, 37, were sentenced for their role in recruiting Asian women to Kansas City to participate in a prostitution ring. In that ring, dozens of women were rotated in and out of Johnson County massage parlors where they performed sexual acts on customers up to 14 hours a day, seven days a week. Tang and Liu each received five years in prison. Each prepared a letter to the court. Tang read his and Liu had his read by a translator. “I was given the privilege to come to the United States,” Tang told Chief U.S. District Judge Fernando Gaitan. “So my family in China would have a better life.… I place myself at the mercy of this court. God Bless You.” Liu said he was the sole provider for his family in China and, as the oldest son, it was his responsibility to provide for his aging parents as well as his child. “Now my best wish is to see them as early as I can,” Liu wrote. “So I can do my duty as a father.” Authorities charged Tang, Liu and two others in May 2007 with recruiting Chinese women to work in three massage parlors in Johnson County: China Rose Massage and China Villa Massage in Overland Park and Asian Touch Massage in Olathe. Hongmei Madole, 33, was the first defendant sentenced. In April, Gaitan sent her to prison for 33 months. Madole could testify against the fourth defendant and alleged leader of the operation, Ling Xu, tomorrow morning. Xu is Tang’s mother. By Laura Bauer The Kansas City Star Note: The details of the cases are taken directly from the public press releases issued by the U.S. Office of Public Affairs and/or outside sources and are not written by Polaris Project.