Spa owners plead guilty to prostitution charges

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) - Two suspects accused of facilitating prostitution at a Bismarck spa signed a partial plea agreement Monday pleading guilty to one of three charges.

Jiang Jennings and Lance Jacobson pleaded guilty to facilitating prostitution. In return two charges of human trafficking were dismissed.

In July, Bismarck police conducted an undercover sting at the Hong Kong Spa.

“He was asked several times to remove his underwear and that the masseuse placed her hands on the officers private parts and offered a sex act,” said States Attorney Julie Lawyer.

Throughout the investigation, police learned the masseuses were flown in, and urged to perform sex acts on customers for extra money.

“They did find other individuals who did give interviews who indicated the same thing that they were offered, for a tip, if they provided a tip they would be offered sexual services at the spa,” said Lawyer.

Not only were Jennings and Jacobson running the spa in Bismarck, they also face similar charges for a parlor in Dickinson.

Both pleaded guilty to the C felony charge which carries a maximum five year sentence. The judge ordered a pre-sentence investigation.

A third co-defendant, Craig Grorud, pleaded guilty last week to promoting prostitution and was sentenced to two years of supervised probation.

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