Cumberland County pastor paid for sex acts at massage parlor at least 68 times: police - PennLive

[Madison Montag | [email protected]]

A 65-year-old pastor in Newville was charged with two offenses Wednesday after police said he paid for sex acts at least 68 times at a Carlisle massage parlor that was recently shut down for human trafficking, according to an affidavit.

Stephen R. Melton, of Mechanicsburg, has been a pastor at the Big Spring Presbyterian Church in Newville since October 31, 2022, according to the church’s website and charging documents.

Two massage parlors in Carlisle — Li’s Asian Massage and GL Massage — were recently shut down as part of operations combating human trafficking in the county. The county district attorney’s office on Tuesday said 19 customers linked to the parlors were arrested in the last month, but Melton was not included in that announcement.

When detectives started to investigate possible human trafficking at GL Massage they noticed many recurring customers as well as workers living at the business for days or weeks at a time, the affidavit said.

Investigators watched Melton, and many other men, arrive at GL Massage numerous times. However, Melton would frequently leave with the same worker in his passenger seat, police said.

Detectives on one occasion saw Melton take off his wedding ring and put it in his pocket while walking up to the business, according to the affidavit.

When a search warrant was executed at GL Massage on Oct. 22, the worker who was frequently seen with Melton spoke with police. She admitted to accepting money for sex acts while working at GL Massage and identified several customers, including Melton, according to the affidavit.

Surveillance footage from the area and financial records confirmed Melton was a customer at GL Massage at least 68 times between April 23, 2023, and Sept. 23, 2024.

During a police interview with Melton on Nov. 6, he confirmed he was a customer at the parlor several times per week for over a year because the business was conveniently located between his home and the Big Spring church.

Melton also admitted to paying for various sex acts, including intercourse, primarily from the same worker at GL Massage, who he knew as “Cicci.” When asked how many times the sex acts occurred he was unable to provide an exact number because of how frequently they took place, the affidavit said.

Melton agreed the women at GL Massage could be victims of human trafficking and said he asked them “about trafficking.” Melton also said the women appeared to be living at the business and he would try to help by “dropping off flowers, food and clothing.”

Melton — who is charged with patronizing prostitutes and patronizing victims of human trafficking with reckless disregard — was released on $10,000 unsecured bail. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Jan. 15.

Three women who worked at the parlors — Chuanxia Wang, 65, of Newport; Dong Mei Liu, 55, and Yue Jun Zhao, 62, both of Flushing, N.Y. — were also arrested and charged as a result of the searches.

Wang, who incorporated Li’s Asian Massage in February 2018, is charged with felony counts of running a corrupt organization, human trafficking and promoting prostitution.

Liu and Zhao — who waived preliminary hearings Wednesday in hopes of entering a diversionary program that will eventually see their charges dismissed — were arraigned on single misdemeanor counts of prostitution.

Wang, who faces far more serious felony counts, said through her attorney that she feels victimized by those employees and wants to fight to clear her name in court.

Court documents for this report were received from CBS21. Staff writer Charles Thompson contributed to this report.