Massage parlor prostitution ring stretching across New Mexico, Texas leads to 2 arrests

A woman and man who allegedly owned several massage parlors in southern New Mexico and West Texas are facing federal charges for allegedly using the businesses to sell “commercial sex,” federal officials said Wednesday.

Shaoping Wen, 64, and Xu Wang, 41, were arrested March 21 in Carlsbad and Roswell, respectively and were both charged with conspiracy to use interstate travel in aid of racketeering enterprises, read a federal criminal complaint. Wang allegedly told investigators he was Wen’s son, but federal officials did not confirm if that was true, read a the complaint.

The pair made initial court appearances in Las Cruces, read a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office and were awaiting extradition to Lubbock, Texas to face additional charges in that state.

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Investigators said Wen owned and operated two “illicit” massage parlors in Carlsbad, two in Roswell, one in Clovis and three in the Lubbock area, the complaint read. Other parlors Wen owned in Lubbock were previously closed by law enforcement, the complaint read, due to “prostitution and landlord evictions.”

Undercover operations were conducted at Wen’s parlors leading up to her arrest, the complaint read, and several women were previously arrested for soliciting sexual services in exchange for money. Investigators said Wen and Wang were seen multiple times paying bail for the women and then taking them back to the parlor where they were previously arrested.

Wen and Wang were allegedly observed renting premises, paying rent, delivering goods and other necessities, and posting bond for women all in the furtherance of their prostitution business, the complaint read.

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If convicted, they both face up to five years in federal prison.

The USA TODAY NETWORK-NEW MEXICO was unable to verify the number of women allegedly prostituted, their citizenship or ages. It is also unknown if any of the alleged victims of the prostitutions are being charged with crimes.

Prostitution investigation started in Texas

The investigation into Wen and Wang’s alleged criminal activity started June 26, 2023, read the complaint, when a “concerned citizen” contacted local police about possible human trafficking at a plaza in Wolforth, Texas, a suburb of Lubbock.

An undercover operation was conducted four days later, the complaint read. An undercover officer entered the parlor and was greeted by a woman in lingerie, who he paid $60 for a massage, read the complaint. She later agreed to have sex with the officer for $140, and the officer told the woman he changed his mind and left the parlor.

Other people in the area subsequently reported suspicions to local police that the massage parlor only served men, read the complaint, and that women appeared to be getting dropped off with luggage and going straight into the business where they appeared to live. Observers also said the business appeared to serve customers until midnight, and that they would stay for about 30 or 40 minutes at a time.

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Advertisements for the parlor were found on a known sex trafficking online platforms “Skipthegames” and “Rubmaps,” read the complaint.

Police installed a pole camera near the business and subsequently observed activities similar to those described by the witnesses.

In August 2023, police investigated another parlor operated by Wen and Wang in Lubbock, where a woman at the businesses allegedly offered to have sex with an undercover officer for $160. She was arrested for prostitution and entered the business to find beds on the floor, female hygiene products and clothing, which police said indicated the women were living there.

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A piece of paper with Wen’s email address was found during the search, the complaint read. Wen was later observed paying bail for the woman arrested. A later search of that business revealed similar items, but also home improvement receipts from Roswell, read the complaint.

Investigators obtained a mobile tracking warrant for Wen’s red Hyundai Santa Fe and placed a tracking device on the car from Oct. 14 to Nov. 21, 2023. Officers tracked the car traveling to New Mexico massage parlors in the 300 block of Canyon Street and 700 block of Guadalupe Street in Carlsbad.

Other parlors were located this way in the 1100 block of South Main Street and 2600 block of North Main Street in Roswell, along with the 800 block of North Prince Street in Clovis. The vehicle either parked outside the parlors for several hours or stayed overnight, the complaint read.

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They were later confirmed to be owned by Wen, the complaint read.

Wen was also observed picking up several women from the Roswell airport, driving them directly to the parlors in Carlsbad and Roswell. Investigators later learned the women flew into New Mexico from New York and California, via the airport in Dallas/Fort Worth.

Sex trafficking investigation expands into New Mexico

The New Mexico portion of the investigation began on Feb. 14 when an undercover officer with Homeland Security and Investigations made an appointment at the parlor on Canyon Street in Carlsbad. During the appointment, the officer paid $60 for a half hour massage, and then agreed to pay $140 for sex, but left before the services took place.

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Similar operations were conducted Feb. 14 at the other parlors in Carlsbad, Roswell and Clovis, with officers leaving each time and leaving the full $200 behind, read the complaint. Investigators said undercover officers were offered sex for money at Wen’s businesses at least 10 times.

The New Mexico parlors were also found listed on Rubmaps.

Investigators concluded that Wen and Wang flew women into the airport in Roswell, then distributed them to the parlors throughout eastern New Mexico and into the Lubbock area.

Wen was also seen traveling to a casino in Commerce, California where investigators said she laundered money from the operation. Records show Wen bought about $1.5 million in chips between January 2018 and August 2023, cashing out about $1.7 million. Investigators said this allowed Wen to get rid of “dirty money” by buying the chips and leave with “clean money” after cashing out.

Federal authorities were aided in the case by local law enforcement departments in Carlsbad, Roswell and Clovis and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico.

Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516, achedden@currentargus.com or @AdrianHedden on the social media platform X.

This article originally appeared on Carlsbad Current-Argus: Arrests made in New Mexico, Texas prostitution ring