Seven charged in massage parlor trafficking case that included Wasilla spa

Seven people face felony sex trafficking charges after a year-long investigation that searched seven businesses, including one in Wasilla, the Alaska Department of Law said. Troopers said 11 victims were identified and offered support services.

Guoguo Zhang, 54, of Wasilla, was arrested on multiple counts of second- and third-degree sex trafficking. Six others face second- or third-degree charges. They are Lee Van Ness, 72, Tuan Huynh, 34, and Terry Volkman, 53, all of Anchorage. Xiong Xiaotian, 40, and Hong Zhen Li, 51, are both of New York. Hui Zhang, 44, was also charged. All are presumed innocent.

The Anchorage Police Department, Alaska State Troopers, the FBI Anchorage Field Office and other partners executed warrants at the seven businesses and at two residences in Anchorage and the Matanuska-Susitna Valley. The businesses searched were Jasmine Spa, Zen Massage, Stream Health Spa of Wasilla, Phoenix Health Spa, Owl Health Spa, Renew Day Spa and Red House Massage of Anchorage. Stream Health Spa of Wasilla was the Mat-Su business named.

The Alaska Department of Law's Office of Special Prosecutions is handling the cases and said additional charges may be filed.

Disputed framing

Commentary published April 18 by The Alaska Record disputed the rescue framing. It argued that in Alaska "sex trafficking just means that someone manages or supervises a place of prostitution," and that workers themselves were among those charged. The state issued its release April 16, two days before that commentary appeared, and does not address the argument.