Wichita Massage Parlor Owner Pleads Guilty in Sex Trafficking Case

WICHITA, KAN. – The owner of a Wichita massage parlor pleaded guilty Monday in federal court to harboring a Chinese woman who worked as a prostitute, Acting U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.

Samir F. Elias, 60, Wichita, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of harboring an alien for financial gain and one count of importation of an alien for prostitution. In his plea, he admitted the crimes occurred while he was the owner of GiGi’s Elite Massage, which operated at 357 N. Hillside in Wichita after moving from a previous location at 6611 E. Central.

Elias employed a Chinese woman with the initials F.Y. He was aware that the woman, who was not lawfully in the United States, engaged in the sale of sexual relations at the massage parlor. He personally reviewed online forums discussing the sale of sexual relations at his business. He harbored her at his residence near Maple and 119th West in Wichita, driving her to work and home again. He collected money from her he knew to be the proceeds of prostitution.

 An undercover vice detective with the Wichita Police Department arrested the woman after she offered to perform sexual services during a massage.

Sentencing is set for Dec. 12. Both parties have agreed to recommend a sentence of time served followed by two years of supervised release.

Beall commended the Wichita Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart for their work on the case.