ROGERS, AR — A Van Buren man has been arrested following a multi-agency human trafficking investigation involving three Asian massage parlors in Rogers. David Whited, 63, of South Laken Circle in Van Buren, was apprehended by U.S. marshals on Tuesday in Fort Smith. He faces charges related to human trafficking and organized criminal activity.
Whited, identified as one of three owners of the targeted businesses — Ping Massage, Stream Massage, and Tulip Massage — was arrested on a warrant issued by Benton County. The arrest follows an investigation that began last fall, led by the Rogers Police Department, in partnership with the Arkansas Attorney General’s Office, Benton County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, and the Benton County Sheriff’s Office.
The investigation, which culminated in January 2025 with the execution of simultaneous search warrants at the three massage parlors, is part of an operation dubbed Operation Obscured Vision. The operation also resulted in the February 3, 2025, arrest of Yuhe Yang, 70, of Rogers, who faces similar trafficking charges. Yang was released on $500,000 bond.
The investigation led to the arrest of four Chinese nationals, who were involved in the operations at the parlors, including Haiyan Lu, Qing Chen, Hongliang Cai, and Chunli Wang. Wang faces additional charges of second-degree sexual assault, while the other three are charged with promoting prostitution.
Authorities have also rescued 17 victims, ranging in age from 29 to 65, all of whom are Chinese nationals. Many of the victims were coerced into working in the U.S. after seeing advertisements in China.
The multi-state effort, coordinated by the Arkansas Attorney General’s Office, involved law enforcement from multiple states. Authorities seized nearly $70,000 in cash, a Mercedes-Benz in Rogers, and 1,870 Chinese yuan in Russellville. Investigators believe the funds were being sent back to China as part of the operation.
Whited, who was booked into the Benton County Jail on Wednesday, is being held with no bond. His case adds to the ongoing efforts to combat human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation in the region.
