Staff report

WARREN — A woman from Flushing, New York, made an appearance in court Thursday — a week after an arrest warrant was issued for failing to appear at her arraignment.

Furong Li, 55, pleaded not guilty to charges of promoting prostitution, practicing medicine or surgery without a certificate, and soliciting. She’s being held on a $10,000 bond, which will continue until she surrenders her passport.

Li’s charges stem from a human trafficking raid in late February at 3C Foot Spa in Hubbard. The business is located in a building owned by Trumbull County Commissioner Rick Hernandez. It was the second time the business was raided, with the first one happening in August 2024.

The operation, conducted by Hubbard police in collaboration with the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force, uncovered evidence of commercial sex trafficking, law enforcement said.

Police said they seized cellphones, computers, ledgers and cash during the search.

The investigation began in February 2023, with the task force assisting after initial findings by local police suggested commercial sex trafficking was occurring in the building.

The task force seized Hernandez’s phone earlier this month as part of its investigation. However, no further details about it or its connection to the investigation have been released.

No charges have been filed against Hernandez, and authorities have not confirmed whether the 3C Foot Spa raids are directly linked to the warrant served on him.

Li is set to appear in court for a pretrial hearing Aug. 5.