Investigation into Rockland Asian Massage Parlor Tied to NY-based 'organized crime' Leads to Prostitution Charges for 11 Men - The Maine Wire

[Edward Tomic]

A total of 11 men are now facing charges of engaging a person for prostitution following a December raid on a massage parlor in Rockland, police announced on Monday.

Rockland Police say they received a tip in late July 2024 from law enforcement in Lincoln County regarding an investigation into sexual acts that were being done in exchange for money at a local massage parlor.

[RELATED: Police, Border Patrol Raid Asian Massage Parlor in Rockland...]

The parlor in question, “Asian Massage,” had recently moved from Waldoboro to a location in Rockland at 193 Park St.

Police say their investigation into the massage parlor led to the discovery of ties between the establishment and “organized crime and human trafficking out of New York.”

State records show that the Waldoboro and Rockland “Asian Massage” parlors were registered as LLCs by an individual named Tao Tian, who also appears to have been the registered agent for other massage locations around the state, including “Nirvana Spa Inc.” at 10 Foch St. in Lewiston.

Rockland Police coordinated with federal law enforcement for a December 2024 raid on the “Asian Massage” property in Rockland, during which Customs and Border Protection (CBP) vehicles could be observed parked in front of the building.

During the search, multiple individuals were interviewed, and authorities seized physical and electronic evidence, some of which is still being processed by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), police said.

According to Rockland Police, the “Asian Massage” establishment in Rockland is no longer active, but investigators believe there are several suspected active locations throughout the state.

Charged for engaging a person for prostitution in connection to the Rockland massage parlor were the following:

• Richard Generazio, 64, of Owls Head;
• Christopher Mitchell, 41, of Lincolnville;
• Christopher Felicetti, 62, of Washington;
• Bruce Liljegren, 78, of Thomaston;
• Randy Bouchard, 62, of South Thomaston;
• Michael Graves, 65, of Rockport;
• William Heiden, 39, of Rockland;
• Joseph Cady, 50, of Palermo;
• Mark Strong, 69, of Thomaston;
• Neal Shepard, 71, of Cushing;
• Stanley Carlton, 65, of Owls Head.

Police say their investigation remains active and that additional criminal charges are expected.

The raid on Rockland’s “Asian Massage” was the latest in a series of massage parlors in Maine being raided by law enforcement over the past year due to suspected sex trafficking and forced labor.

In September, 58-year-old Richard Qiu of Brooklyn, N.Y., owner of multiple massage parlors throughout Maine, was arrested by Lewiston Police and charged with two counts of sex trafficking (Class D and Class E), forced labor and criminal forfeiture

[RELATED: Owner of Several Maine Massage Parlors Charged with Sex Trafficking, Forced Labor…]

Police said they found video recording equipment, condoms and over $12,000 cash in suspected sex trafficking proceeds at a parlor in Lewiston owned by Qiu.

In May of this year, 45-year-old Changsheng Xiao, also of N.Y., was arrested in Portland at his massage parlor location on Forest Avenue and was charged with criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon and aggravated sex trafficking.

[RELATED: Man Who Pleaded Guilty for Role in Chinese Drug Trafficking Scheme Tied to Transnational Criminal Network…]

According to court records obtained by the Maine Wire, Xiao is alleged to have threatened an elderly woman with a handgun as part of his sex trafficking operation.

Although neither the Rockland PD nor federal law enforcement have indicated that the illicit massage parlors are connected to Asian Transnational Criminal Organizations known to be illegally growing and trafficking cannabis in Maine, Chinese language job boards used by some massage parlor operators to recruit workers from New York and Massachusetts often have ads for masseuses alongside ads for “green house” workers.