Massage Parlors in Prostitution Sting Remain Under Fire in Marion

Two massage parlors involved in a prostitution sting in October could face a difficult future if the city moves forward with requests to revoke their amusement licenses.

Marion city officials will hold a hearing on the requests to revoke the licenses, which was discussed about a week after four people were arrested on prostitution charges at two local massage parlors.

The hearing will take place at the regular City Council meeting on Thursday. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. and will be held at City Hall. Other items of record include a swearing in of new Marion Police officer Jimmie Hunter and some new round-abouts.

The official language for the separate massage parlor hearings are a "request to revoke amusement license" of Asian Massage, 271 Seventh Avenue, and Heaven Full Body Working 743 10th Street. Marion Police Chief Harry Daugherty is listed as the official for each hearing.

The name of one of the parlors - Heaven Full Body Working - was referred to as Heavenly Massage in the initial arrest notice in October, but the addresses are the same.

Officers made arrests at Massage Heaven on 743 10th Avenue and Asian Massage at 271 Seventh Street, after police received a tip from a confidential informant that "sex acts" were traded for money, according to a news release in October.

Jennifer Yue Dougherty, 47, of Marion, and Hongmei Hu, 42, of Marion, were charged with prostitution and a disorderly house violation. Guanglan Zhou, 50, of Marion, and Jia Lee, 25, also of Marion, were each charged with a disorderly house violation.

Prostitution is an aggravated misdemeanor.