Spa owner accused of promoting prostitution set for Friday arraignment
Jun. 24—CHEYENNE — The owner of a recently shuttered spa will appear for arraignment Friday in Laramie County District Court.
Xiaoli Ye is charged with promoting prostitution, a felony, for allegedly offering sex acts to customers at Asian Relax Spa, which was located at 619 W. Lincolnway.
Ye is scheduled to appear before Laramie County District Judge Peter Froelicher at 11 a.m. Friday.
Another woman, Xinyun Liu, was also arrested and charged with misdemeanor prostitution. An attorneys-only scheduling conference for her case is set for July 20, according to a Laramie County Circuit Court clerk.
The Cheyenne Police Department announced earlier this month it had arrested Ye and Liu after an "extensive" investigation, which began in April.
On two occasions in May, an undercover officer visited and requested a massage, according to a probable cause affidavit filed in Ye's case. On the first occasion, Liu allegedly offered to perform oral sex on the officer in exchange for $160. On the second occasion, she offered the same thing in exchange for $140.
During a third visit on May 20, Ye offered to perform oral sex on the undercover officer for $100, offering Liu do the same for an additional $100, according to court documents.
The same day, police executed a search warrant on the building with help from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. During an interview with police, Ye admitted to operating the spa and paying rent for the building, and said she and Liu both performed sex acts in exchange for money, according to court documents.
Ye also told police she charged Liu $10 per day to live in the spa building.
Hannah Black is the Wyoming Tribune Eagle's criminal justice reporter. She can be reached at hblack@wyomingnews.com or 307-633-3128. Follow her on Twitter at @hannahcblack.
