A charge of prostitution against a woman working in a massage spa in LeClaire has been dropped after the confidential source involved in the case wished to remain anonymous.
Assistant Scott County Attorney K. Wayne Kelley filed the motion on Wednesday in Scott County District Court to dismiss the case against Yalan Chen. District Associate Judge Korie Talkington granted the motion Thursday.
Chen, 54, of San Jose, California, and Xuemei Wu, 46, of Weston, Florida, were arrested Nov. 19, 2024, after they had allegedly offered sexual favors for money to undercover agents of the Scott County Sheriff’s Department’s Special Operations Unit.
Chen and Wu were working at the KT Rose Spa, 1007 Canal Shore Dr. SW in LeClaire at the time.
According to the arrest affidavits filed by Scott County Sheriff’s deputy Zachary Ahrens, the Scott County Sheriff’s Special Operations Unit was conducting an undercover operation at the spa after receiving complaints of sexual favors being offered during or after massages.
An agent acting undercover went to the business and met with Wu, telling her he wanted a half-hour massage. During the massage, Wu asked the agent if he wished to perform sexual acts with her and her co-worker, Chen. Wu then gave a price for the acts to occur.
Further investigation found the women in possession of a large amount of cash in small bills.
During post-Miranda interviews, Chen denied any involvement in the business and stated she did not give any massages, and was purely here for “fun,” according to the affidavit. Chen could not elaborate on what that meant, according to the affidavits.
Wu did not wish to speak with agents.
A confidential source, however, positively identified Chen as someone who had offered them sexual favors during a previous incident.
However, Chen’s attorney asked for the name of the confidential source who identified Chen as having offered to perform sex acts on him for money. Chen’s attorney intended to depose the confidential sources. But the confidential sources wished to remain anonymous.
Kelley said in his court filing that he had discussed the case with law enforcement and that the confidential sources used in the investigation would remain anonymous.
Having reviewed all the documents and evidence, Kelley said in his motion that he “must conclude that without the testimony of the confidential source, the state cannot establish the elements necessary to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt for the crime of Prostitution.”
Wu, however, pleaded guilty to one count of prostitution during a hearing in District Court held May 8. District Associate Judge Michael Motto deferred judgment for one year. Should Wu meet all her obligations under the deferred judgment, she would not receive a conviction on her record.
Wu was assessed costs and fines totaling $2,140, of which $2,000 has been paid as of Sept. 25.
A hearing on Wu’s deferred judgment is scheduled for Nov. 7.
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