Helena Man Gets 10 Years for Running Massage Parlor Prostitution Front

Steven Kyle Miller, 72, was sentenced March 11 to 10 years in the Montana State Prison, with five years suspended and a $5,000 fine, after pleading guilty to felony human trafficking for operating Oasis Massage, a Cedar Street business prosecutors say served as a cover for prostitution.

Judge Christopher Abbott handed down the sentence in Lewis and Clark County District Court as Lewis and Clark County Attorney Kevin Downs looked on. Miller had agreed to the guilty plea in October 2025, with prosecutors dropping additional charges as part of the deal.

The investigation traces back to a tip from TSA agents at Helena Regional Airport, who flagged Miller for repeatedly picking up and dropping off young Asian women while speaking on their behalf and exercising what investigators described as controlling behavior. The women were traveling with thousands of dollars in cash. The suspicion sharpened on Oct. 25, 2023, when TSA reported that Miller's wife, Jinbao Yu, was attempting to fly to New York with $50,000 in cash. Miller tried to follow her through the security checkpoint without a ticket and, when questioned, told investigators he worked for a government agency while offering conflicting explanations for the money.

Montana Division of Criminal Investigation Human Trafficking Unit Supervisor Agent Andrew Yedinak and a Homeland Security Investigations Task Force officer had first noticed Oasis Massage near the 1500 block of Cedar Street on May 30, 2023. A phone number posted in the business window raised immediate red flags: it was the same number previously used by Sunshine Sky Massage, a parlor that DCI had shut down following a search warrant tied to reports of commercial sex. That same number was also connected to known escort websites.

When investigators executed a search warrant at Oasis Massage, they found several women who could not speak English living inside the business, along with hidden caches of condoms and lingerie.

Court documents outlined Yu's connections to Flushing, New York, an area where federal law enforcement has alleged organized Chinese criminal operations maintain a presence.

Yu, 57, was charged Jan. 27 with two counts of felony sex trafficking and felony money laundering. She pleaded guilty to felony sex trafficking at a change-of-plea hearing on Feb. 17, 2026, for operating and co-owning the Cedar Street parlor, which prosecutors say utilized Asian women to perform sexual favors for clients. Under documents filed by County Attorney Downs, each felony count carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $50,000 fine. Her sentencing has not yet been scheduled and is expected later this year.