Carpentersville masseuse faces prostitution charge

Carpentersville police arrested a Chicago woman Wednesday at a local spa, shortly after she offered to perform a sex act on the undercover cop she was massaging, police said.

Ren Xiuzhen, 51, of Chicago, was charged with prostitution and released from jail after posting $150, officials say. She is scheduled to appear in court at 9 a.m. Jan. 12 at Elgin Branch Court.

Carpentersville police launched an undercover investigation at Marigold Spa after receiving several complaints from residents about possible prostitution activity at the establishment in the 200 block of Route 31, Cmdr. Timothy Bosshart said.

“Nobody wants that type of business going on in their town, especially when you've got residential areas nearby,” Bosshart said. “It just brings a bad image to the town.”

On the day of the investigation at 9 p.m., the officer, posing as a customer, asked for a massage. While Xiuzhen was giving him his rub down, she offered something extra for an additional $60, Bosshart said. She was arrested immediately, he added.

Village Manager J. Mark Rooney immediately suspended the spa's business license and allowed it to reopen Friday afternoon.

“I spoke to the owner and got assurance that it was an isolated incident and it would not happen again,” Rooney said. “The fact is, they weren't doing much in screening (employees).”

Management will appear before Village President Ed Ritter at a hearing in which Ritter will decide whether to revoke the spa's business license. The date for the hearing hasn't been set and, per state statute, the decision to revoke a business license rests solely with Ritter, Rooney said.

Meanwhile, if Xiuzhen is found guilty of misdemeanor prostitution, she could spend up to a year in prison.