Lubbock, Amarillo massage parlors among 8 shut down in human trafficking investigation - Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

[Gabriel Monte]

Eight West Texas massage parlors owned by the same business entities were shut down temporarily by State officials as investigators say they found evidence of prostitution and human trafficking at the sites.

A six-month emergency closure order was issued by Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation officials for the parlors owned by Tongfuxin LLC and Tongfu LLC, in Amarillo, Cleburne, Kerrville, Lubbock, Midland and Odessa, according to a department news release.

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Three people were listed as the owners of the business. They were ordered to halt operations at the establishments and are barred from operating different massage establishments, the release states

The business entities own the two Family Reflexology massage parlors in Amarillo and Best Foot Spa in Lubbock.

A sign left for patrons on the front of Best Foot Spa reads, "Sad news -- (Previous) owner is suspected of illegal behavior. We'll be closed until May 28. We'll appear in court to prove and provide evidence. I am deeply sorry for the inconvenience this caused, Emily."

Under Texas law, TDLR’s executive director can issue an emergency order pausing the operation of any massage establishment if law enforcement or department investigators find evidence or indicators that human trafficking is occurring at the business.

A hearing date for the emergency order was not immediately available.

Investigators with the department reportedly found multiple violations at the locations, including employees living at some of the businesses, a lack of required client consultation documents and illicit advertisements offering sexual services at the parlors, the release states.

During the investigation, employees who reportedly identified themselves with out-of-state identification and admitted to being at the establishment for temporary work admitted to providing massage services without a massage therapist license to perform these services in Texas, according to the release.

In April, TDLR investigators, Midland Police Department officers and Midland City Code Enforcement Division agents spoke with a customer at the group's Sunny Massage parlor in Midland who reportedly admitted to paying for sexual services from an employee there, the release states.

The parlor shares shares a building with a daycare center and the daycare owner told investigators that a massage parlor employee tried to enter the daycare through the ceiling crawl space as police searched the massage establishment.

Police later found that the employee was not licensed as a massage therapist and she was arrested for prostitution.

Investigators learned that another employee at the parlor was arrested for prostitution in 2022.

Meanwhile, investigators also found a complaint a woman filed in 2023 alleging that a male massage therapist inappropriately touched her during a massage, the release states.