Van Buren man arrested in human trafficking investigation involving Rogers massage parlors - Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

[Tom Sissom]

ROGERS — A Van Buren man has been arrested in connection with a continuing investigation into three Asian massage parlors in Rogers.

David Whited, 63, of South Laken Circle in Van Buren, was arrested Tuesday in Fort Smith by U.S. marshals on an arrest warrant from Benton County, according to a press release from the Rogers Police Department.

Whited was booked into the Benton County Jail at 1:47 p.m. Wednesday and was being held with no bond set.

Whited was identified by police as one of three owners of the three businesses targeted in the investigation: Ping Massage, Stream Massage and Tulip Massage.

Last fall, the Rogers Police Department, in conjunction with the Arkansas Attorney General’s Office, Benton County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and the Benton County Sheriff’s Office, began a human trafficking investigation into three Asian massage parlors in Rogers. The investigation culminated Jan. 23 with the execution of simultaneous search warrants at the three massage parlors, according to the release.

All three businesses were owned and operated by the same three individuals, the release states. One of those individuals was identified as Whited, who was arrested Tuesday on a warrant for the charges of trafficking of persons and engaging in a continuing criminal gang, organization or enterprise.

Yuhe Yang, 70, of Rogers, was arrested Feb. 3 as part of the same investigation in connection with trafficking of persons — commercial sex acts and engaging in a continuing criminal gang, organization or enterprise. Yang was released from the Benton County Jail on Friday on $500,000 bond.

The human trafficking investigation was a multistate effort dubbed Operation Obscured Vision, according to a separate news release from Attorney General Tim Griffin.

Local officers, coordinated by the attorney general’s office, served 12 search warrants in late January at parlors in Jonesboro, Russellville, Hot Springs, Rogers, Harrison and Little Rock, a previous release from Griffin’s office stated.

Four Chinese nationals were arrested immediately after the raids. Those women were Haiyan Lu, 54, of Harrison; Qing Chen, 53, and Hongliang Cai, 55, both of Jonesboro; and Chunli Wang, 50, of Rogers, Griffin said. Wang faces a second-degree sexual assault charge while the other three are charged with second-degree promoting prostitution.

Authorities also made contact with 17 victims, 16 of whom accepted aid from medical personnel and victims’ services groups, the release states.

All 17 victims, who range in age from 29 to 65, are Chinese nationals, Griffin said. At least one victim told authorities they came to the United States on an asylum visa after seeing advertisements in China for opportunities to work in the United States, he said.

During the operation, which included support from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, authorities also seized nearly $70,000, a Mercedes-Benz in Rogers and 1,870 Chinese yuan in Russellville, which is equivalent to about $258, Griffin said. Officials believe U.S. currency was being sent back to China by the people running the operations.


Human trafficking

Arkansas law lists trafficking of persons as a Class A felony and engaging in a continuing criminal gang, organization or enterprise as a Class Y felony.

Source: Rogers Police Department