A Bronx, NY woman was found guilty in Union County Superior Court earlier today of 3RD Degree Promoting Prostitution, announced Acting Union County Prosecutor Grace H. Park.
Acela Regalada DOB: 2/22/1975 was arrested in March 2011 following an investigation by the Elizabeth Police Department into an illegal massage parlor operating on Rahway Avenue, said Assistant Prosecutor Shawn P. Barnes.
Acting on a tip and information received, undercover detectives went to the business, The Serenity Wellness Center, where they were propositioned for sexual acts in exchange for money, said Barnes. Regalada, who ran the business, was arrested on March 30, 2011. She was released on bail, and quickly reopened the business. A second undercover operation was conducted on April 21, 2011 that yielded the same results as the earlier investigation. The investigation was spearheaded by Elizabeth Police Sergeant Larry Smith.
Regalada was found guilty following a two-day trial, and 90 minutes of jury deliberation. She faces five years in prison when she is sentenced on September 20, 2013.