A 51-year-old Lawrence man was found guilty Tuesday of charges related to his involvement in supporting alleged human trafficking at a Lawrence massage parlor.

Chen Li

Originally charged with one count of aggravated human trafficking and one count of promoting the sale of sexual relations, Chen Li accepted a deal with prosecutors Tuesday, pleading no contest to one count of attempted human trafficking and one count of promoting the sale of sexual relations.

Li was scheduled to have his jury trial Oct. 26.

Assistant Douglas County District Attorney Mark Simpson said Tuesday that had the case gone to trial, the state would have presented evidence to show Li’s involvement in his co-defendant, Guihong Xiao’s, alleged trafficking of women.

Guihong Xiao

Simpson said that between Feb. 6 and April 28, Li “unlawfully provided financial support and transportation” supporting the forced sexual labor of women at his and Xiao’s Spring Massage business, 600 Lawrence Ave. Li allegedly helped Xiao in bringing women into the business “through the use of force by fraud.”

“He transported women to and from the airport and train station to the business to aid Guihong Xiao in (human trafficking),” Simpson said.

Spring Massage, at the corner of Lawrence Avenue and Sixth Street, had been listed on a number of online “erotic massage” websites. Multiple online postings reported the price for an hourlong service at Spring Massage as $60, cash only. Listed among witnesses in charging documents were the records custodians of two such websites, backpage.com and a website whose name includes a sexually explicit phrase.

Simpson said women were recruited to work at Spring Massage under the guise of a legitimate employment opportunity, but when the women arrived, they were “coerced into involuntary sexual services they did not wish to provide.”

Additionally, Simpson said he had evidence to support allegations that Li promoted the sale of sexual relations by maintaining Spring Massage, “a business where sexual relations were sold.” Simpson said Li “paid rent,” did “odd jobs” and “(took) Xiao to the bank and otherwise help(ed) her in running that business.”

This is not the first time Li has pleaded to charges relating to selling sexual relations. In 2013, Li and Xiao pleaded no contest to charges of promoting prostitution after a police raid on two massage businesses in Bonner Springs, according to municipal court records. A Bonner Springs municipal court judge found Li and Xiao guilty, and both were required to pay a $600 fine and court costs. They did not receive jail sentences because the crimes were city misdemeanor offenses.

In his Douglas County case, Li, depending on his criminal history, faces a maximum of about 14 years in prison for the attempted human trafficking charge and about a year and a half in prison for the promotion charge.

Under his prior charges of aggravated human trafficking, Li could have faced nearly 55 years in prison for each count. Charges relating to some of the evidence also could have been filed in federal court, Simpson said, but they would not be filed as part of the plea agreement.

Li’s sentencing hearing is set for Nov. 13. Li is not required to register as a sex offender under his charges, but he is a Chinese citizen unlawfully in the country, so he could face deportation once he serves out his sentence.

Co-defendant Xiao is scheduled to appear in court Nov. 16. Her jury trial is set to begin Dec. 7. She is charged with two counts of aggravated human trafficking, one count of promoting the sale of sexual relations and one count of misdemeanor selling sexual relations.

Both Li and Xiao remain in the Douglas County Jail.