Southern Idaho Police Arrest Woman in Massage Parlor Investigation for Prostitution and Human Trafficking Charges - Big Country News

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POCATELLO — A woman was arrested last week in connection to a six-month Pocatello police investigation into a local massage parlor suspected of operating a prostitution and human trafficking operation.

Liyun Ma, 43, most recently of Flushing, New York, was arrested Wednesday and charged with one felony count of procurement of prostitution following an investigation by the Pocatello police street crimes unit, according to a police report the Idaho State Journal recently obtained.

Police responded to the Lucky 7 Massage parlor at 301 S. Fourth Ave. around 10 a.m. Wednesday to serve a search warrant, police said.


Upon arrival, police located two women, one of whom was identified as Ma, and a man inside the parlor, according to the report.

Ma was detained and taken to the Pocatello police department for questioning, police said.

The other woman was taken to a “soft interview room” located on the campus of Idaho State University with a representative from Idaho Community Outreach Behavioral Services, a nonprofit organization that provides trauma care for victims of human trafficking across Idaho. The woman taken to ISU had identification that said she was a resident of New York, said police, adding that a translator was also asked to come to the soft interview room.

At ISU, the woman told investigators that she is originally from China and that she had come to Los Angeles to visit a friend, staying there for two weeks before traveling to New York, according to the report.

The woman then told investigators that she flew into Pocatello on March 5 to assist with the Lucky 7 Massage parlor, stating that she did not want to be here, police said.

The woman told investigators that Ma was “the boss” and that she told her she needed to take off her top and touch the clients’ penis in order to get more money, according to the report.

The woman said that Ma would become upset if you did not do what she asked and that she was told she needed to give Ma $3,600, police said.

When questioned, Ma refused to provide any answers without an attorney and the interview ended.

Ma was then charged, arrested and booked inside the Bannock County Jail in Pocatello.

She appeared in front of 6th District Judge Thomas Clark for an arraignment hearing on Thursday, during which her bond was set at $250,000.

Prosecutors on Monday filed an amended complaint that would also charge Ma with one felony count of harboring prostitutes, court records show.

Ma is due back in court on March 19 for a preliminary hearing that will involve prosecutors attempting to prove there is enough evidence against her to elevate the case from the magistrate to district court level for trial.

If convicted of the felony procurement of prostitution charge, Ma faces no less than two years and up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $50,000.


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