Seven face sex trafficking charges tied to seven Alaska spa businesses

Seven people face felony sex trafficking charges after a year-long investigation that searched seven Alaska massage and spa businesses, one in Wasilla and six in Anchorage, the Department of Law said. Troopers identified 11 people as victims and offered them services. Everyone charged is presumed innocent.

Alaska's law defines sex trafficking more broadly than the term implies. Second- and third-degree sex trafficking, the charges in this case, don't require force, threats, coercion or minors. A person commits second-degree sex trafficking by managing, controlling or owning a prostitution enterprise. Third-degree covers receiving money known to come from prostitution. The state's own criminal-law materials describe the third-degree offense as reaching all non-forcible prostitution of adults. Running or profiting from a place where sex is sold can be charged as sex trafficking whether or not anyone was forced.

The same statutes that let the state call 11 people trafficking victims also allow charges against someone who worked at or helped run one of these businesses. The release doesn't say what conduct each person is accused of, so where these charges fall is unclear, from a coercive operation to a group of adults in a cash spa-based sex trade.

Charged are Guoguo Zhang, 54, of Wasilla, on multiple counts; Lee Van Ness, 72, Tuan Huynh, 34, and Terry Volkman, 53, of Anchorage; Xiong Xiaotian, 40, and Hong Zhen Li, 51, of New York; and Hui Zhang, 44. The Anchorage Police Department, Alaska State Troopers and the FBI's Anchorage office searched the seven businesses and two homes in Anchorage and the Mat-Su. The businesses were Jasmine Spa, Zen Massage, Stream Health Spa of Wasilla, Phoenix Health Spa, Owl Health Spa, Renew Day Spa and Red House Massage. The Office of Special Prosecutions is handling the cases and said more charges may follow.