Man enters guilty plea in Hampton Roads human trafficking case

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — One of three people arrested as part of a human trafficking investigation in Hampton Roads pleaded guilty Tuesday.

Police announced that from January to May last year, the Virginia Beach Police Department's Special Investigations Bureau – Vice Unit and U.S. Homeland Security Investigations conducted anti-human trafficking operations. After an extensive investigation, several agencies at the local, state and federal levels executed search warrants on four massage parlors and three homes in Virginia Beach, Norfolk and Williamsburg.

Prosecutors said Yang Gao, his wife Si Liu, and Ye Wang ran several unregistered massage parlors in Virginia Beach and Williamsburg in addition to bringing in women to work as prostitutes. Following the investigation, they were arrested for multiple criminal offenses, which included sex trafficking, maintaining or frequenting a bawdy place; prostitution aiding/ assisting in procurement; and pandering, pimp or receiving money from a prostitute.

On Tuesday, Gao pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Ye Wang was scheduled to plead guilty Wednesday, but proceedings were continued and have not yet been rescheduled.

Si Liu has a plea hearing on March 3. Her attorney declined to comment on the case. News 3 is waiting to hear back from Gao's and Wang's attorneys.

Gao is set to be sentenced in August, court records show.