A New York woman charged with prostitution in Cranberry Township did not attend her preliminary hearing last week because authorities believe she is in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody.

All charges were held for court against Fei Zhu, 58, of Flushing, N.Y., even though neither she or her attorney attended the Friday, July 24, preliminary hearing before District Judge Kevin Flaherty.

Zhu was charged April 18 with one felony count each of prostitution and criminal use of a communication facility and one misdemeanor count each of prostitution and possession of an instrument of a crime.

Police said during an undercover operation, officers arranged with a third party scheduler to meet Zhu at a Cranberry Township hotel. Inside her room, they found prescriptions, items used in prostitution and $616.

Zhu’s bail of $50,000 was paid April 18, three days after she entered Butler County Prison. The Butler County District Attorney’s Office Thursday requested a bench warrant be issued for the man who paid Zhu’s bail, according to court records.

“We have had cases where federal inmates have local charges. It complicates things,” said District Attorney Richard Goldinger.

He explained for federal inmates to appear in Butler County court, the U.S. Attorney’s Office must issue a writ to allow their appearance. If a defendant is incarcerated, they can be removed from local custody by federal officials without warning.

Zhu is represented by attorney Justin Ketchel, of Ketchel Law in Pittsburgh. Repeated attempts to contact him were unsuccessful.

“We are in the process of trying to work out some of these details with the U.S. Marshals with the hope that some of these obstacles can be alleviated,” Goldinger said.

Zhu’s formal arraignment is scheduled for 1 p.m. Sept. 8 in Butler County Common Pleas Court.