2nd woman gets probation after raids on Ravenna massage parlors

Yahoo

14-07-2025

RAVENNA − The second of two women arrested in raids on city massage parlors will serve three years on probation.
Portage County Common Pleas Court Judge Laurie J. Pittman on July 14 ordered Hongziang Liu, 48, of New York to serve probation, with the first year under intensive supervision. The women previously had been accused of promoting prostitution.
Pittman handed down the same sentence in June to Aijuan Xiong, 40, also of New York. As with Xiong, Pittman agreed to transfer supervision of Liu's probation to New York authorities.
Ravenna police said they, the Summit County Collaborative Against Human Trafficking and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation executed search warrants at the massage parlors Liu and Xiong operated at 112 N. Chestnut St. and 444 S. Meridian St. The collaborative is made up of the Ohio Attorney General's Office, and sheriff's offices in Summit, Stark and Portage counties.
The operation followed a months-long joint investigation that included the use of undercover law enforcement officers.
Both women pleaded no-contest in May to fifth-degree felony possessing criminal tools, a cell phone, as well as receiving proceeds from the commission of an offense subject to forfeiture proceedings, a fifth-degree felony for Liu and a first-degree misdemeanor for Xiong.
The latter charges include forfeiture specifications related to confiscated cash, about $8,300 in Liu's case, and $710 in Xiong's.
In a plea deal, it was agreed the women's no contest pleas would result in them being found guilty. In addition, a fourth-degree felony promoting prostitution charge included in grand jury indictments was dismissed.
Liu, who speaks Mandarin Chinese, did not comment through an interpreter. Her attorney, Joseph Dubyak, told Pittman prior to sentencing that Liu has been "cooperative" and is an "excellent candidate" for probation.
"She has been in America for almost 15 years now. She has no prior criminal record," he said.
Pittman warned that there was a chance Liu's conviction could result in deportation, but that would be a federal matter.
"We don't know what could happen," she said.
Deputy Chief Prosecutor Dan Sallerson said the charges the women pleaded to are less likely to lead to deportation than promoting prostitution would have been.
Pittman also ordered that Liu pay a $300 fine and $259 in court costs within three years. She has the option of paying the debt by performing community service at $11 per hour.
More: Ravenna to regulate massage businesses, require state licenses after raids
Reporter Jeff Saunders can be reached at [e-mail].
This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: 2nd woman gets probation after raids on Ravenna massage parlors