Update: 4 charged in Providence
spa prostitution sting
12:16
PM Fri, Feb 26, 2010 | Permalink
Thomas J. Morgan Email
By Lynn Arditi
Journal Staff Writer
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Providence police charged four women on prostitution charges Friday after conducting undercover operations at two spas.
It's the first raid of an alleged brothel since a change in Rhode Island law last November made indoor prostitution illegal. No clients were arrested.
For years, police had stopped trying to prosecute "massage parlors" and "spas" which police said were brothels because of a loophole in the law that prevented them from prosecuting prostitution when it occurred indoors. Now, that loophole has been closed.
Last December, state police arrested women at hotels in Providence, Warwick and Johnston. In interviews in mid-December, Rhode Island strip-club owners said business was down in the wake of the new law.
At a District Court arraignment, Judge Robert K. Pirraglia released the suspects in the
spa arrests pending a court appearance on March 10.
Hee Sun Shin, 38, of
Los Angeles, who was arrested at the Bali
Spa, 417 Smithfield Ave., pleaded not guilty of soliciting an undercover detective for prostitution.
Nam Kim, 61, of Flushing, N.Y., was charged with permitting prostitution at the Down Town
Spa, 385 S. Main St.
Jung Chern, 37, of New Rochelle, N.Y., and Maree Yoon, 40, of Sunnyside, N.Y., were charged with soliciting an undercover detective at the Down Town
Spa.
This was in the providence journal. Be safe men.
