HOUSTON, TX – The owner of a Houston massage establishment that was closed in early September by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation for suspected human trafficking has agreed to close 10 massage establishments that he owns and to permanently quit the massage industry in Texas.
TDLR had issued a six-month emergency closure order effective September 3, 2024, against Yu Sheng Chen and Ok Foot Spa, 9909 Post Oak Road, in Houston for suspected human trafficking. On September 12, Chen signed an agreed order that permanently revoked the 10 massage establishment licenses listed in the order and any other licenses in his name under the massage therapy program.
Under HB 3579, passed in the 88th Legislature Regular Session, TDLR’s executive director can issue an emergency order halting the operation of any massage establishment if law enforcement or TDLR believes human trafficking is occurring at the establishment. This order is the eighth emergency order issued by TDLR since the law went into effect.
Investigators from the Houston Police Department conducted several inspections of Ok Foot Spa at various times during 2024, and found that employees were provocatively dressed, were not licensed massage therapists, and that they were providing sexual services.
In March, Chen was charged in the Harris County Criminal Court at Law No. 12 with employing unlicensed massage therapists. HPD suspected that employees in the establishment may have been trafficked.
TDLR investigators found that the establishment was advertised on several illicit massage websites and that Chen was involved with several other massage establishments that have had complaints filed against them for employing unlicensed massage therapists or for having employees who were arrested for prostitution onsite.
After the emergency closure order, Chen signed a settlement agreement that revokes any pending massage program license applications as well as these massage establishment licenses:
- Ok Foot Spa, 9909 S. Post Oak Rd., Houston, TX
- Relax Foot City, 12989 Bellaire Blvd., #14A, Houston, TX
- D & B Foot Massage, 17440 FM 529 Rd., #104, Houston, TX
- 59 Spa d/b/a Keavenly Massage, 11422 Southwest Fwy., #400, Houston, TX
- Aini Massage, 3410 FM 2920, #80, Spring, TX
- Hearty Foot Healing, 101 Rosamond St., Houston, TX
- Lucky Foot Massage Parlor, 5950 FM 1960 Rd. W., Ste. C, Houston, TX
- A&H Massage, 24811 Katy Fwy., Ste. 350, Katy, TX
- F Massage, 13821 Breck St., Ste. G, Houston, TX
- S&F Spa, 2808 Hwy. 6, Ste 1A, Houston, TX
The settlement order stipulates that Chen may not own or manage a massage establishment or work as a massage therapist or massage therapy instructor in Texas for the rest of his lifetime. If Chen is found to be owning or operating a massage establishment or working as a massage therapist in Texas, TDLR could assess additional penalties against him.
Anyone who suspects human trafficking is occurring can contact the National Hotline for Human Trafficking at 1-888-373-7888 or text HELP or INFO to BeFree (233733). If the situation is an emergency or you believe someone is in immediate danger, call 911 and alert the authorities.
You can also file a complaint on a TDLR-regulated business that you suspect may be participating in human trafficking.
Subscribe to the LIVE! Daily
Required
Post a comment to this article here: