Courtesy of Leon County Clerk of Courts
Leon County Sheriff’s Office arrested 55-year-old Gendi Li for prostitution and practicing massage without a license.
An undercover detective went into the business, at 3832 Killearn Center Court, and came into contact with Health Center employee Li. Li offered to perform a sexual act on the undercover detective for in exchange for payment.
Li was immediately taken into custody. She was found without a license to practice massage by the department of Health.
The investigation was opened on Jan. 22. Department of Health Deputy Communications Officer, Brad Dalton, said the DOH investigations are similar to law enforcement investigations.
“Our unlicensed activity investigators conduct investigations similar to law enforcement involving online research, surveillance, interviews, and sometimes undercover work. Many come from law enforcement or other investigative backgrounds.”
LCSO VICE Narcotics Unit received complaints regarding illegal activity at the Health Center.
Dalton said the DOH received complaints as well.
“The investigation was predicated on the allegation of a person at that location offering massage without being properly licensed to do so, and allegations the same person may be offering prostitution,” Dalton said.
During the previous fiscal year, the DOH received 1094 unlicensed activity complaints.
According to Dalton, the state of Florida has a very unique Unlicensed Activity Unit of the Division of Medical Quality Assurance because it’s the only dedicated unit of its type.
“There is a dedicated hotline 1-877-HALT-ULA and a dedicated email address haltula@flhealth.gov for consumers to report this type of violation, Dalton said, “The department’s website http://www.flheathsource.gov is available to consumers for verifying the license of their providers.”
The DOH has a team of 18 investigators responsible for investigating complaints similar to Gendi’s.
Days after the arrest, LCSO and the DOH continued receiving complaints that Li had returned to the Health Center and was still involved in illegal activity.
Li was arrested and taken to the Leon County Jail without incident both times.
Jeremy Mutz, Division Chief at the Leon County State’s Attorney’s Office, says the sentencing on a prostitution charge varies.
“The prostitution charge is a second degree misdemeanor so they could get up to 60 days in jail on that, Mutz said. “There’s a lot of things that happen between a trial and somebody could accept a plea agreement. They’re probably not looking at anything close to they could receive. They may receive some jail time.”
The Department of Business and Professional Regulation issues massage licenses.