Women arrested after allegedly ‘promoting prostitution’ at Clinton massage parlor

Two Flushing, New York, women were arrested in Clinton, Missouri, this week for allegedly “promoting prostitution,” according to Henry County court documents.

Jinmei Yan and Meixi Chen were arrested after an undercover Clinton police officer ran an operation on a massage parlor, according to court documents.

After receiving complaints about prostitution, Capt. John Scott telephoned the business and spoke with an unknown man, according to court documents. When Scott asked about getting a massage, the man told him to come to the business because “there were two girls working.”

Once inside, Yan escorted Scott to a private massage room, where she asked the officer to pay $50 “to the house,” according to court documents.

Court documents state Scott asked Yan what “other” services were available, and Yan allegedly implied that sexual services were offered.

Scott agreed to the price, and as Yan approached him, officers executed a search warrant on the premises, according to court documents.

Once inside, officers found unused condoms, a large amount of money and business documents, according to court documents. Chen was in the building as the search warrant was executed.

Court documents state that a witness told officers they saw three people “deliver different workers to the business monthly,” and that they “never saw the same workers come back to the business after leaving.”

During a search at the Harvey County Detention Center, officers found a “large sum” of money under the insole of one of Yan’s shoes, according to court documents.

Chen allegedly told officers during an interview that she took a job at the massage parlor after responding to an online advertisement for a position where she would clean and cook, according to court documents.

Chen, who was living in New York, then flew to Kansas City and took a taxi “with her own money” to the massage parlor, court documents allege. She told officers she had been at the business for one day.

However, Missouri State Highway Patrol investigators who specialize in human trafficking allege this is a common story told by those in the sex trade, according to a probable cause statement for Chen’s arrest.

Both women are being held in the Harvey County Detention Center on $50,000 bonds, according to warrants for the women’s arrests. Both have bond reduction hearings scheduled for Friday.

This story was originally published June 4, 2025 at 6:16 PM.