WEST VALLEY CITY — The owner of two Salt Lake County massage parlors was charged with prostitution after a nearly 18-month investigation.
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Jian Rong Long, 48, was charged Wednesday with two counts of exploiting prostitution, three counts of prostitution, and three counts of money laundering.
In court documents, law enforcement officials say a male reported an incident that occurred in Sept. 2019 at Health Massage, a West Valley City business owned by Long. According to the man, while getting a massage for an injured arm, the female masseuse asked if he wanted his genitals massaged for an additional charge.
After telling the masseuse he was offended, the woman begged for the man to not call police before she left in a vehicle that was later found at Swan Spa in Salt Lake City, another massage parlor owned by Long.
In subsequent visits to Health Massage and Swan Spa between Dec. 2019 and Sept. 2020, informants and undercover officers told investigators that female masseuses offered sexual services for money. The massages were terminated after the offers were made.
Search warrants were executed at both massage locations and Long's home on Dec. 14, 2020 where officials seized mobile phones, credit card receipts and financial records. Over $53,000 in cash was found at Long's residence, while $3,367 was found under a bed at Swan Spa.
Contents of a phone seized with the search warrant found graphic messages, along with text conversations with clients that "suggest an expectation of sexual contact."
A review of receipts showed both massage parlors would run credit cards for a basic fee, then add tips up to $100.
