Man who refused to pay for sex led cops to investigate Chambersburg massage business

The investigation into a Chambersburg massage parlor that was shut down for suspected prostitution this week started last fall after a man came to police, concerned after he refused to pay a masseuse for a sexual act. 

Police arrived at Asian Massage, 58 Lincoln Way West, with a search warrant Tuesday morning. Chang Hong Zhou, 52, the only person there at the time, was charged with two types of promoting prostitution, one a felony count and the other a misdemeanor, court records show. 

She was in Franklin County Jail on $500,000 bail as of Wednesday afternoon, according to online court records. 

A man reported to Chambersburg Police Department on Oct. 9 that he had paid $60 for a massage at Asian Massage, but the female masseuse performed a sexual act then sought an additional $40, saying that was the cost of the act, police wrote in charging documents. The man said he made the report out of concern because he did not pay the additional money.

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The police department started receiving “unofficial complaints of nefarious activity” about the business. This week, an undercover detective went to the massage parlor with $200 of official police funds, the serial numbers of which had been recorded.

The detective paid $40 for a half-hour massage. After some time, the female masseuse asked the detective to disrobe completely, and sought $40 to perform a sexual act. The detective asked how much sexual intercourse would cost, and the woman said to come back the next week when two younger females were to arrive from China, according to court documents.

Police executed the search warrant the next day. Among evidence seized from the scene, police located the cash used the day before in a woman’s jacket in a bedroom in the building.

Before the search was carried out, the undercover officer identified a woman seen on live video surveillance as the woman he had interacted with the day before, according to court documents. Police identified that woman as Zhou.

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Zhou told police she had worked at the business on and off for about a year. Through an interpreter, she said she makes about $30,000 per month, according to court documents. She added she makes $15 to $20 per customer, and the rest goes to the owner. She said she pays the owner for clothing, food and rent.

Zhou had a driver’s license which listed  the same address as the massage parlor. Her bedroom was located in a partitioned room between the business office and two massage rooms. Police located a lease that listed Zhao’s name as one of two lessees.

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Police said Zhou backtracked when asked if she was licensed to conduct massages, and said she manages the business, completing tasks such as scheduling, answering the phone and “purchasing advertisements through a New York Chinese newspaper which advertise to employ females at the massage business,” according to court documents.

Police on Tuesday said federal immigration authorities were at the scene and talked to Zhou. 

Zhou's preliminary hearing is scheduled for 8:15 a.m. Tuesday in Franklin County Central Court.