Berkeley Couple Indicted For Running A Brothel In Toms River

TOMS RIVER – An Ocean County grand jury recently indicted two Holiday City residents for running a brothel out of a bi-level house on Lakehurst Road in Toms River.

Nina X. Meng, 58, and James M. O’Brien, 60, both of Edgewood Drive, Berkeley Township, were each indicted recently on one count of prostitution, according to app.com.

The indictment said the two between May 4, 2016 and Jan. 4, 2017 “did knowingly promote prostitution by owning, controlling, managing, supervising or otherwise keeping a house of prostitution or a prostitution business" between May 4, 2016 and Jan. 4, 2017.’’

The Redwoods Wellness Center on Lakehurst Road was advertised as a massage business.

But Toms River police charged both with prostitution back in January, after a four-month investigation into the activities at Redwoods Wellness Center, 515 Lakehurst Road, according to an earlier Patch report.

The charges came after an investigation led by Toms River Detective Thomas Grosse in cooperation with the Department of Homeland Security, Ocean County Prosecutor's Office Special Operations Group and the U.S. Enforcement Removal Operation Unit, Toms River Police spokesman Ralph Stocco has said.

Redwoods was conducting business as a massage parlor, Stocco said, but was suspected of soliciting prostitution. Allegations of the prostitution were confirmed by way of the investigation as well as through the subsequent evidence procured as a result of the court-authorized search warrants, he said.

Details on how the activity was confirmed were not provided.

Redwoods actively advertised its massage business on a website that advertises escort services around the country, offering "amazing asian massage" and "four hands sweet massage," with hours from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. and "walk-ins welcome," with charges of $60 per hour and $100 for a "four hands massage," according to the advertisement. The website's terms of service say it offers sexually oriented content but bars content that solicits "directly or in 'coded' fashion for ANY illegal service, including the exchange of sexual favors for money"

Prostitution is a third-degree crime, carrying a maximum prison term of five years. Both Meng and O'Brien are slated to be arraigned in several weeks, said Al Della Fave, spokesman for the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office.

Patch Editor Karen Wall contributed to this article

This building at 515 Lakehurst Road, Toms River, is alleged to have been home to a prostitution operation. Nina Meng. James M. O'Brien. Photos provided by Toms River Police Department