Crime & Safety

Undercover Sting Targets Two Hopkins Massage Parlors

Officers arrested two masseuses on suspicion of prostitution. They have been charged with gross misdemeanors.

Police arrested masseuses at two different massage parlors Tuesday after receiving an anonymous letter accusing the establishments of allowing prostitution on the premises, Hopkins Police announced Thursday afternoon.

The arrests follow a separate prostitution arrest in August at Hopkins Asian Massage that resulted requiring licenses for most massage business.

The investigation began in March when the department got a letter that stated websites claimed prostitution was taking place at Hopkins Asian Massage at 1209 Mainstreet and Yinyin Massage at 901 First St. N., according to charging documents written by Police Sgt. Michael Glassberg. Police examining the sites found customer reviews claiming the businesses offered manual genital stimulation.

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Neither establishment answered Patch’s phone calls.

An undercover Brooklyn Center officer went to Hopkins Asian Massage on Tuesday wearing a hidden audio device. The officer said he initially agreed to pay $80 for a 60-minute massage. The masseuse—Yazhi Xiao, 53, of Wayzata—offered to perform manual sex on him for an extra $40, he said. He gave her the money. She allegedly took hold of his penis and began to manually stimulate it, and he alerted officers standing by.

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Xiao denied offering sexual services, according to the court documents.

The same Brooklyn Center officer went to Yinyin Massage later that day. He said he initially negotiated a 30-minute massage for $60 with 62-year-old Gui Hua Yang of Hopkins. Near the end, she offered additional services for which he could “pay later,” he said. She then allegedly took hold of his penis and began to manually stimulate it, and the officer alerted waiting officers.

Yang admitted touching the undercover officer’s penis, according to court documents.

Prosecutors charged both masseuses with prostitution in a public place, a gross misdemeanor that carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a $3,000 fine.

Under the city’s new massage parlor license, the City Council is able to revoke licenses after a hearing. The council also could suspend a license for a set amount of time or until certain conditions are met. 

Glassberg said the city will be looking to apply the new ordinance.

“These types of crimes do allow us to make some kind of license sanctions,” he told Patch.

 

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