Kevin Jasper and Jianying Chen are accused of transporting women from NYC to Jersey to engage in a prostitution ring.
Kevin I. Jasper, left, and Jianying Chen were charged with human trafficking and promoting prostitution TRENTON - Many of the women who were taken from New York City to New Jersey to engage in a Lawrence prostitution ring, were unable to speak English and were confined to motel rooms for days, Mercer County Prosecutors said Tuesday.
Prosecutors revealed more information Tuesday on the prostitution ring run out of a Red Roof Inn in Lawrence that police investigated for months.
The investigation, which began with a tip off from a confidential informant, led to charges against Kevin Jasper, 56, and his partner, Jianying Chen, also known as Jianying Collins, 48, both of New York City. They were both charged last week with human trafficking and promoting prostitution last week.
Police have said Jasper and Chen used online escort sites to find Asian women, whom they took from New York City to the Lawrence motel. Usually it was just one or a few women a week, Assistant Prosecutor Heather Hadley said Tuesday.
The women were put in a room and made to stay in that room for the remainder of the week as they engaged in prostitution, Hadley said. Men would come to the motel rooms, stay for 10 - 15 minutes at a time and then leave, she added.
3 arrested in human trafficking bust at motel
Jasper and Chen, whom Hadley referred to as "partners," had a system for the operation - Chen would handle the money and receive calls while Jasper would book rooms at the motel using her credit card, Hadley said. The relationship between Jasper and Chen is unknown, though Jasper once called Chen his girlfriend, Hadley said.
During the investigation, police saw Jasper and Chen bringing bags and paper towels into the rooms where the women stayed- though the women never left the motel. They also believe Jasper was taking passports from some women engaged in the prostitution ring and giving them to other women in the ring, Hadley said.
At the end of each week, the woman or multiple women who had stayed in the hotel would be taken away and replaced with new women for the next week, Hadley said.
When Jasper and Chen were arrested, they were found with three women in the back of the car. The women were arrested but released.
During a bail hearing Monday, a judge maintained Chen's bail at $300,000. Jasper's hearing is scheduled for Thursday.
Anna Merriman may be reached at amerriman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @anna_merriman.