Suffolk spa worker charged after client reports forcible touching during massage

Suffolk County police arrested a Levittown man after a 27-year-old woman said he forcibly touched her during a massage at W Foot Relaxing Spa in Selden, then drove herself to the Sixth Precinct to report it. The allegation, made at 12:50 p.m. on Sunday, April 26, put a renewed spotlight on how massage businesses are monitored in the corridor along Middle Country Road.

Detectives identified the accused as Li-Yong He, 52, of 19 Windmill Lane, Levittown. He was charged with Forcible Touching and Unauthorized Practice of a Profession, police said, and was held overnight at the Sixth Precinct before a scheduled arraignment in First District Court in Central Islip on April 27. Suffolk County Police also gave the Sixth Squad number, 631-854-8652, for anyone who believes they may have been a victim.

The arrest matters beyond one client’s complaint because Selden has seen repeated enforcement actions tied to spas and massage parlors. On Jan. 22, police said they arrested Lien-Hua Yu, 37, during a raid at Foot Spa at 280 Middle Country Road. The Town of Brookhaven issued violations to the business and the building owner and shut the business down that day.

That followed a raid on Oct. 20, 2025, at a different Selden massage parlor at 756 Middle Country Road, where police said two employees were arrested after numerous community complaints. In June 2024, police said two women were arrested at Jixiang Spa in Selden during another raid linked to complaints. In September 2022, police said 692 A Spa on Middle Country Road was investigated for quality-of-life complaints, including prostitution, issued 20 summonses and shut down after a worker was arrested for unlicensed massage.

The underlying charge of unauthorized practice carries weight in New York because practicing a profession without authorization is a class E felony under state law, and massage therapy is among the licensed professions governed by state rules. That makes consumer verification more than a formality: customers booking a massage locally should check that the business is properly licensed, look for a clear street address and legitimate business records, and pay attention to whether a location has drawn prior police or town enforcement.

Police said the Selden spa had been visited before and asked any additional victims to come forward. In a strip of Middle Country Road already marked by repeated complaints, shutdowns and arrests, the latest case is a reminder that oversight at massage businesses can break down long before a client walks out and heads to the precinct.