Lake Ronkonkoma massage parlor raided after complaints, employee arrested

Community complaints prompted Suffolk County police to focus on Foot Haven Spa on Hawkins Avenue in Lake Ronkonkoma, where investigators said they found evidence of prostitution and unauthorized professional practice.

The arrest came after Fourth Precinct Crime Section officers and Fourth Squad detectives worked with the Human Trafficking Investigation Unit, the Town of Brookhaven Fire Marshal and the Town of Brookhaven Law Department at the spa, which police identified at 429 Hawkins Ave. The multi-agency response showed the case was being handled as more than a simple vice arrest, with code compliance, licensing and possible trafficking concerns all part of the review.

Police said Fang Fang Ren, 38, of Flushing, was arrested and charged with two counts of Unauthorized Practice of a Profession, a felony, and two counts of Prostitution, a misdemeanor. She was issued a desk appearance ticket and ordered to return for arraignment.

The unauthorized-practice charge carries particular weight in New York because Education Law § 6512 makes practicing or offering to practice a profession without authorization a class E felony. Massage therapists in New York must complete training and pass a state licensing examination, which is one reason local police and town officials often frame these cases as enforcement actions involving both licensing and business oversight.

Brookhaven Fire Marshals also play a recurring role in that oversight. The town’s Division of Fire Prevention says fire marshals enforce local, state and national fire prevention and building codes through inspections, including those prompted by complaints or incidents at a property. In cases like this one, that can pull fire, building and legal officials into the same investigation.

Police announced the arrest on Friday, May 16, 2026, and said the investigation remained ongoing. Anyone with information about Foot Haven Spa was asked to contact the Fourth Precinct Crime Section or submit a tip anonymously to Crime Stoppers.

The case fits a pattern Suffolk County police have pursued in recent months at massage businesses in Ronkonkoma, Greenlawn, Shirley, Mount Sinai and Huntington Station. Those investigations have often combined prostitution charges with unauthorized-practice allegations or nuisance-related concerns, reflecting the county’s broader approach to storefront complaints that can affect nearby residents, adjacent businesses and the way a commercial corridor is policed.

For Lake Ronkonkoma, the arrest puts renewed attention on a Hawkins Avenue storefront that neighbors had already flagged enough to trigger a coordinated response. In Suffolk, that kind of complaint can quickly become a full regulatory case, with police, town officials and fire marshals all examining whether a business is operating within the rules.