Owners of Sun Spa in Wellesley Charged with Sex Trafficking

The owners of massage parlors in Wellesley and Revere were arrested today in connection with human trafficking and prostitution, according to a press release from Attorney General Martha Coakley's office. 

The owners, Zhen Lai, 37, of Quincy, Joseph Girouard, 55, of Revere and Wenjie Dong, 49, of Malden were arrested this afternoon in Quincy and Somerville by state and federal officials, with assistance from local police. 

Officials say Sun Spa (also known as Sun Studio) in Wellesley, owned by Lai and Girouard, and Bodywork in Revere, also owned by the men, had masseuses who allegedly offered sexual activity in exchange for cash tips. 

Search warrants were executed at both massage parlors today, according to the press release. 

Lai and Girouard are being charged with one count of sex trafficking and keeping a house of ill fame, the AG's press release said. Lai will be arrainged in Dedham District Court Friday, while Girouard will be arraigned Friday in Chelsea District Court.  

“We allege that these individuals ran two massage parlors that were thinly veiled fronts for prostitution,” said Coakley in the press release. “Further, these two defendants allegedly profited from sexual services provided to clients by women they employed.”

The Wellesley Police Dept. was involved in the investigation.

“This investigation was a model of collaboration and cooperation between investigators from the Wellesley Police Department, HSI and the Attorney General’s Office,” said Wellesley Police Chief Terrence Cunningham, in the press release. “Thanks to Attorney General Coakley’s attention to the human trafficking issue and her unwavering determination to bring individuals involved in the exploitation of women to justice, this is not just another prostitution prosecution.”

Wellesley Patch reported earlier today on the investigation.