More arrests likely in ongoing prostitution sting in Lexington County
Lexington County Sheriff's officials say more arrests are likely as an undercover investigation into prostitution continues
LEXINGTON, S.C. (WOLO) — Lexington County Sheriff’s officials say more arrests are likely as an undercover investigation into prostitution continues.
“We’re using these arrests to put these types of people on notice,” says Lexington County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Captain Adam Myrick. “We want people to understand that these types of businesses, and these types of activities are simply not welcome in Lexington County.”
LCSD announced the arrest Wednesday of four women, 47-year-old Ae Seon Lee, 54-year-old Meijuan Yu, 59-year-old Ok J Park and 34-year-old Sun Ah Cho. They’re all charged with prostitution. All four are out of jail on bond.
Officials say the women were picked up from three different massage parlors: Sunset Spa, on Sunset Boulevard in Lexington, Palmetto Sun Massage, on Airport Boulevard in West Columbia, and Relax Massage off Platt Springs Road in Lexington.
We stopped by Palmetto Sun Massage. The windows were covered up and the door was locked. Relax Massage, however, was open. The owner did not want to comment. Officials say the arrests were geared toward specific masseuses, not the businesses.
Captain Myrick says they’re unsure at this point whether the three parlors are connected in any way. They’ve been looking into this since the beginning of the month, and will continue doing so, to find out whether there’s a larger criminal element here.
“We’re trying to piece together the operation, and see if there are any potential connections to human trafficking, though we wouldn’t want to speculate now, but we are looking in to that possibility,” Myrick says.
Captain Myrick says you can help by paying close attention to the areas where you spend your time. He says be weary of people coming and going from businesses where they shouldn’t be, and keep an eye out for businesses that people are living in.
If you see something that looks strange in your neighborhood, the sheriff’s department wants you to call CrimeStoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC. You can also submit anonymous tips at lexingtonsheriff.com.
