Prostitution suspect held on immigration charges

By MISSOURIAN STAFF

September 15, 2007 | 5:55 p.m. CST

COLUMBIA — A Chinese woman arrested on suspicion of promoting prostitution out of the back of a convenience store on U.S. 40 is being held on federal immigration charges, Boone County sheriff’s deputies said Saturday.

Xue Lan Bian is suspected of running a one-person prostitution operation out of a room in the back of a convenience store located in the Midway Travel Plaza, Boone County Sheriff’s Sgt. Mike Stubbs said.

Xue , 52, formerly of Torrance, Calif., lived in a nearby motel and is a Chinese citizen whose Visa has expired, Stubbs said.

Sheriff’s deputies searched A.M. Chinese Relaxation Treatment, 6401 Highway 40 W., at about 4:30 p.m. Thursday and arrested Xue on suspicion of third-degree promoting prostitution.

Stubbs said the business opened Aug. 1 and that investigators received an anonymous tip about two weeks later regarding prostitution going on around the convenience store and motel.

“Right after it opened, we got the complaint,â€