2 women accused of running sexually explicit 'spa' in Silver Spring

2 women accused of sex trafficking in Silver Spring

Two women have been charged with multiple counts of sex trafficking and prostitution after investigators allegedly discovered they were running an unlicensed spa in Silver Spring. FOX 5's David Kaplan has the latest details on the case.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (FOX 5 DC) - Two women have been charged with multiple counts of sex trafficking and prostitution and are accused of running an unlicensed spa in Silver Spring.

Ana Delia Solano, 48, of Silver Spring and Ana Cristina Bermudez, 49, of Riverdale are accused of advertising massage services at a spa in the 9500 block of Georgia Avenue with sexually explicit photos of women.

FOX 5 reached out to attorneys for both women and have not heard back.

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Ana Delia Solano

During the five-month investigation, detectives observed male clients entering and leaving the spa and learned that the clients were offered extra services with prices based on the sexual service provided.

FOX 5 spoke with three separate businesses at the office building, where police say this was happening. None of the three say they knew what was going on.

"Just that they were nice people and every once in a while, they would have a friendly conversation," said Lee Havis.

FOX 5 also spoke with Cpt. Nicholas Picerno who heads special investigations with the Montgomery County Police Department.

Picerno said this sex trafficking operation is in line with others he has seen. Picerno added it doesn’t surprise him to hear that nearby businesses didn’t know what might have been happening.

"I think what we see in this affidavit is a lot more common of what we see in the human trafficking space, where people are being taken advantage of because of a variety of different conditions and being put into a position they don’t want to be in for the benefit of someone else, and someone’s taking the benefit of their labor, whether it’s illicit or not, for themselves," Picerno said.

Solano and Bermudez hired several women as massage therapists and are facing charges of coercion and sex trafficking by force.

There is a concern that there may have been additional women hired and potentially victimized by Bermudez and Solano, and detectives are asking for them to come forward.

Anyone with information regarding Solano or Bermudez is asked to contact the Montgomery County Department of Police Vice and Intelligence Unit at 240-773-5958 or contact Crime Solvers of Montgomery County toll-free at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477). Callers may remain anonymous.