BREMERTON, Wash. — Two women arrested in massage parlor raids in Kitsap County tried to hide their faces from cameras as they made their first court appearance. Yifeng Zhu and Li Suxiang are two of four women facing charges of prostitution and promoting prostitution at the businesses. Investigators with the Kitsap County Sheriff's Office said the raids came after an 18-month investigation.
“I noticed all the cop cars pulling up, police officers roaming around, and I thought: They must be shutting down the Asian massage,” said Jonathan Erickson, at Poulsbo Running, just a few doors down.
Erickson said there has long been talk about the business and he wasn't surprised when he saw one of the suspects taken away in handcuffs on Thursday.
“I honestly thought: There can’t actually be something like that happening here in Poulsbo. And why, if it’s something that’s kind of common knowledge, then why is it still in operation,?” Erickson said.
The Sheriff's Office spokesman, Detective Sgt. Chad Birkenfeld, said tips led to the investigation, which uncovered illegal activity at massage businesses in Poulsbo, Silverdale and Bremerton. Birkenfeld said the U.S. Navy got involved after the investigation revealed several of the clients visiting the storefront parlors were in the military.
“There were not only active-duty military people there but civilian contractors and employees,” Birkenfeld said.
No men were arrested in the raids. A fifth suspect is still being sought.
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