A Boston woman charged with running a prostitution ring through four massage parlors has pleaded not guilty.
The Boston Globe reports that 47-year-old Dan Zheng pleaded not guilty Thursday in Cambridge District Court to trafficking of persons for sexual servitude, deriving support from prostitution, and procuring persons to practice prostitution. She was held on $100,000 bail.
Prosecutors say Zheng ran a human trafficking operation at spas in Stoneham, Arlington, Dracut and Boston using Chinese women from New York. Prosecutors say there was a sleeping area in the basement in one of the spas.
Zheng's court-appointed lawyer says his client didn't know about any illegal activity at the businesses.
The charges apply to Middlesex County. Suffolk County prosecutors say they expect to file similar charges.
