Three men have been arrested after police uncovered an alleged brothel operating out of a Las Vegas residence, frequented by up to 30 men per day, according to a police report. The brothel, located near the intersection of Spring Mountain Road and Decatur Boulevard in Chinatown, was reportedly the site of sex trafficking activities, police said.
Upon raiding the residence, officers discovered two women who were victims of sex trafficking. One of the women disclosed that she had been repeatedly sexually assaulted by customers. Both women, originally from China, revealed they had been illegally smuggled into the US via Mexico under the false promise of restaurant jobs.
One of the women explained to officers that she felt compelled to work as a prostitute due to her illegal status and fear of deportation. With no local contacts, money, shelter, or assistance, she saw no other way to survive in the United States and believed working in the brothel was her only option.
During the raid, police seized roughly $40,000 in cash, alongside condoms, lubricants, and business records. A subsequent search of another residence linked to one of the suspects resulted in the discovery of nearly $180,000, with an additional $32,000 found in a truck parked at the property.
The investigation kicked off in April when an undercover officer from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) responded to an online ad suspected of promoting prostitution and featuring an Asian woman. Officers observed men entering the operation, typically staying only for short periods. On average, between 20 and 30 men visited the residence each day.
Three suspects were identified by LVMPD officers. Changwei Gao and Leandro Seto were arrested for allegedly running the brothel. Gao faces accusations of sex trafficking, conspiring to commit sex trafficking, and living off the earnings of prostitution with physical force or the threat thereof, although he has not yet been officially charged. Seto is charged with sex trafficking, conspiring to commit sex trafficking, and encouraging a brothel.
Enlong Cao, the owner of the residence who rented the property to Gao and Seto, faces charges of conducting or attempting to conduct a financial transaction with the intent to evade reporting, and encouraging a brothel. Cao was identified as an undocumented immigrant.
Brothels are illegal in Las Vegas and across Clark County, though licensed brothels are permitted in certain parts of Nevada.
