MIDDLETOWN — A Korean woman accused of being the madam of one of two illicit massage parlors raided here this month ran a similar business in northern Ohio, police testified in a court hearing Thursday.

        Sue Salvatore, 40, left Trumbull County last October after police arrested her during a raid on the VIP Oriental Spa, Detective Jim Cunningham said.

Salvatore

        Sgt. Don Mills of the Liberty Township police in Trumbull County told The Cincinnati Enquirer that Ms. Salvatore, who was born in Korea, moved away after authorities reduced a charge of prostitution and convicted her of a lesser offense because she had sold the business.

        Middletown police allege that Ms. Salvatore, who has an address at a Franklin apartment complex, opened a massage parlor by the same name in their community almost immediately after leaving Trumbull County.

        Ms. Salvatore was one of four women arrested after Middletown detectives raided the VIP Oriental Spa at 3585 Commerce Drive and Clover Spa at 3925 Roosevelt Blvd. on April 3 following a three-month sting using undercover officers.

        Middletown detectives have enlisted help from the FBI and are attempting to determine if the local massage parlors are linked to an interstate sex ring. Detective Cunningham testified Thursday that Ms. Salvatore, who is charged with promoting prostitution, used the name of a Girard, Ohio, man to apply for occupancy permits she acquired for the Middletown businesses.

        Police testified Thursday that Ms. Salvatore managed VIP's finances and affairs and kept ledgers on how much money each woman made.

        Municipal Judge Mark Wall sent the case against Ms. Salvatore to a Warren County grand jury for possible indictment.

        Trials on misdemeanor prostitution offenses against Yon I. Cantrell, 51, of Albuquerque, N.M., and Un Pom Grabski, 45, of Atlanta, Ga., were postponed.

        Their attorney, Paris Ellis, said he will challenge the constitutionality of the statements his clients gave to police. Hearings were set for late May. All three women are free on bond.

        The spas advertised in Cincinnati and Dayton newspapers and catered to “middle-aged businessmen,” Detective Cunningham said. Police allege that women at both spas offered sex to undercover officers on seven occasions.

        During the April 3 raids, officers confiscated about $4,000 from each massage parlor, along with condoms, makeshift beds and business records, court documents said.

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