A 65-year-old Jonesboro woman has been sentenced to two years of probation after pleading guilty to promoting prostitution in the second degree, according to court records.
Second Judicial Circuit Judge Chris Thyer ordered Na Li to serve 24 months of probation, pay court costs, and fees, and have no contact with the victims, under the terms of her plea agreement. A related charge of unauthorized use of property to facilitate a crime was dropped. The status of a trafficking charge filed at the time of her arrest was not specified in court documents.
Li’s arrest followed an investigation that began in February after a complaint was submitted to the Federal Bureau of Investigation by a customer seeking services at Tree Massage, located at 5510 Southwest Drive in Jonesboro.
According to an affidavit filed in the case, the customer reported that a staff member performed inappropriate actions during a massage, did not stop when asked, and later demanded a tip. As part of their investigation, officers found Tree Massage listed on escort websites advertising young Asian women and began surveillance of the business.
“The business has operating hours from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week,” Jonesboro Police Department’s Sgt. Christopher Pigg stated in the affidavit. “There have only been Asian females seen working there, and the employees are living in the business.”
Investigators reported that Li was the only individual observed leaving the premises and that she also resided there. Surveillance in April revealed a patron spending approximately an hour at the business. During an interview afterward, the man told investigators that employees at the establishment offered sexual services, including a so-called "happy ending," in exchange for a tip.
Police executed a bench warrant for Li’s arrest on June 25. During their visit to the business, officers spoke with a female employee who alleged that she had been required to live on-site, work 13-hour shifts, and surrender over 50% of her income to Li.
“She also stated that her personal property and suitcases were stored at a location she had no access to and reported that she hadn’t seen daylight since June 11,” Pigg stated in the affidavit.
The owners of the property where Tree Massage operated told police that they were unaware of or did not permit the location to be used for criminal activities.
Li was initially arrested on charges of trafficking persons, unauthorized property use to facilitate crime, and promoting prostitution. Agencies assisting with the investigation included the Arkansas State University Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, Hope Found, the Family Crisis Center, U.S. Marshals, and members of Jonesboro Police Department’s SWAT team.