Investigation ongoing after Tontitown massage parlor raid with concerns of human trafficking, larger operation - Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

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TONTITOWN -- Police raided a massage parlor Friday and arrested a woman in connection with promoting prostitution.

Yanling Tang, 61, homeless of Fayetteville, according to booking records, was arrested on one count of promoting prostitution, second-degree. Tang was released Monday from the Washington County Detention Center on $10,000 bond. She's set for arraignment March 4 in Washington County Circuit Court.

Police raided F Spa massage parlor at 620 W. Henri De Tonti Blvd. after receiving a tip from a customer in November and a subsequent investigation, according to a probable cause affidavit. They served a search warrant at the business Friday afternoon.

The complaint the business was providing sex acts to customers in exchange for money was received Nov. 3. According to an affidavit for a search warrant, the person reporting it told police he was at the business for a massage when a woman jumped on the table with him, patted his genitals and asked "only massage?"

He told police that, after further reflection, he believed he was being offered sexual contact. The man also told police employees locked the doors while he was there and there were multiple security cameras in the building.

Tang's personal effects were located in a living area in the business, indicating she was actually residing there, according to the affidavit.

"With the corroboration of the original complaint through the investigation, it was furthermore believed Tang was responsible for coordinating services and booking appointments for customers who paid to be recipients of sex acts," according to the affidavit. "Tang's photograph was identified by the original complainant as the person who he paid for his massage and who inquired about the particular service for which he was paying."

During surveillance, officers saw people arriving at the business late at night, and one man covered his head while entering and leaving, according to an affidavit. Employees of the business were brought to and picked up from the business by two vehicles leased in California, according to an affidavit.

Online ads for the business featured women in provocative clothing posing in a risque manner, according to an affidavit.

A man who police believe to be an owner of the business was followed to another massage parlor, according to an affidavit. An online search returned advertising for the second business featured nude women and appeared to be an online escort service.

Detective Keith Lindley, who also serves as public information officer for the Tontitown Police Department, said more arrests are possible if the individuals can be located.

"I know we have probable cause right now to place one more person in custody," Lindley said. "But I think we may be facing some challenges in actually locating them."

Lindley said there also appear to be links to other businesses in the area.

"I can say with a very high degree of confidence that this business is very directly linked to one in Springdale, Bentonville and Rogers," Lindley said. "I think we have some pretty solid evidence that it is linked to operations outside the state as well."

Tontitown police have been in constant contact with federal authorities during the operation.

"They really helped us do some information sharing and getting some background information on some of these folks and then trying to follow where the money leads, because that ultimately tells us who's in charge," Lindley said.

Lindley said police are also investigating suspected links to human trafficking.

"Whenever you find an operation like this, unfortunately the employees at that facility are often employed there against their will," Lindley said. "That being said, we have direct evidence that supports that the people who were working there, whether against their will or not, were very well financially compensated during the time that they were there. So that's what makes it really hard to answer."

Affidavit of probable cause

A sworn statement, typically made by a police officer, that outlines the factual justification for why a judge should consent to an arrest or search warrant or why an arrest made during a crime-in-progress was based on solid evidence that the person in custody is the person who is likely to have committed the crime.

Source: uslegal.com

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