A Metairie couple is accused of turning licensed massage parlors into fronts for sex work and trafficking at least one woman. The allegations come after a roughly yearlong Jefferson Parish investigation into prostitution tied to massage businesses across the parish, as reported by the NOLA.
Arrests And Bookings
Jefferson Parish jail records show Zhiyong Dong was arrested on March 2 and booked on state counts that include human trafficking, promoting prostitution, pandering, letting premises for prostitution and money-laundering. Bond for those counts is listed at about $130,500 on the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office inmate roster.
Deputies also arrested Jie Li, who was booked on multiple prostitution-by-massage and pandering counts and is accused in a related human-trafficking allegation, according to NOLA.
Licensed Businesses At The Center
Investigators tied the alleged operation to two local storefronts: Rose Massage & Spa in Gretna and Li Massage in Elmwood. State licensing records from the Louisiana Board of Massage Therapy list Rose Massage & Spa under ZhiYong Dong and include Li Massage in the board's establishment listing.
What Detectives Say Happened
Deputies say the case grew out of a probe that stretched over about a year. Investigators allege the couple brought a woman in from another state, put her to work in a massage parlor and kept the money she earned, according to NOLA.
Legal Next Steps
Both Dong and Li are being held at the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center and face multiple felony counts. Prosecutors will review the sheriff's investigation before deciding which charges to formally file. The counts listed in the jail system include human-trafficking and related felonies that carry substantial prison exposure under state law, according to the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office inmate roster.
Bigger Crackdown On Massage Parlors
The case lands amid a broader local crackdown. In late 2024, the Jefferson Parish Council tightened regulations on massage establishments, shifting licensing and enforcement to code compliance and making it illegal to run a parlor without a parish permit, measures officials said were aimed at combating sex trafficking. The ordinance and council debate are detailed in parish meeting materials and a recorded council session, according to the Jefferson Parish Council record.
Sgt. Brandon Veal of the sheriff's office released booking details to reporters, although investigators have not publicly laid out the full evidence file. Court dockets will show the next moves as prosecutors decide on charges and schedule arraignments, and this story will be updated as those filings and hearings appear.
