In 2025, the Bloomington Police Department became involved in a prostitution investigation. Law enforcement received a tip about sex trafficking or prostitution at [ADDRESS REDACTED] XX in Bloomington, Hennepin County, Minnesota. An investigator located a Craigslist ad titled “Skillful wellness & health therapy” for an address on American Boulevard in Bloomington that had a phone number. The investigator texted with the listed phone number and had communications about exchanging money for sexual acts.
The phone number provided three photos of an Asian female wearing lingerie. In the messages, the number associated with the ad provided an address of [ADDRESS REDACTED] in Bloomington, Minnesota. On May 28, officers executed a search warrant at [ADDRESS REDACTED] and located four females and two “johns.” In post-Miranda statements, two females admitted that they were involved in prostitution at the address and had recently come to Minnesota. During execution of this search warrant, officers located a cell phone that had pictures and videos of [ADDRESS REDACTED]. In June 2025, law enforcement received information from management at [ADDRESS REDACTED] that the suspected prostitution activity had moved to a different unit.
On June 16, an investigator located a Craigslist ad titled “Bloomington healing and health therapy” with a picture of a younger Asian female in a pink tank top. The investigator communicated with the phone number associated with this ad. Through this conversation, the investigation agreed to pay $150 for 30 minutes of sex. In the parking lot of [ADDRESS REDACTED], officers saw a male who appeared to be a prostitution customer. Officers stopped this person and took a statement from them, learning that he had exchanged sex for money and had gone to a specific unit at [ADDRESS REDACTED]. Two days later, officers executed a search warrant at the same unit at [ADDRESS REDACTED]. There, they located a lone female (“Victim 1”) whom officers identified and four cellular devices.
Based on information from luggage tags Victim 1’s suitcases, law enforcement learned that she was picked up on June 16 at 3:39 P.M. At Terminal 2 at Minneapolis-Saint Paul Airport (“MSP”) by a vehicle bearing Minnesota license plate SEU 358. That same license plate had visited the airport on May 5 and May 14, 2025. The vehicle associated with this license plate is registered to Defendant DEMING LAI, born on [DOB REDACTED]. During the resulting investigation, law enforcement executed search warrants at other Bloomington hotels and residences. • June 18, 2025, at [ADDRESS REDACTED] #XXX: officers located one woman, $2,140 in U. S. Currency, and two cell phones. • July 9, 2025, at [ADDRESS REDACTED], #s XXX and XXX: officers located two women, including Victim 1, $3,079 in U. S. Currency, two cell phones, and two “johns.” • July 14, 2025, at [ADDRESS REDACTED] #XXX: officers located two women, $,4074 in U. S. Currency, four cell phones, and one “john.” • August 14, 2025, at [ADDRESS REDACTED], #XXX: officers located two females, $567 in U. S. Currency, cell phones, and one “john.” • August 21, 2025, at 5XX-X Lovell Avenue West: officers located two women, $9,782 in U. S. Currency, cell phones, and two “johns.” Officers identified one of women as Victim 2. During execution of this search warrant, Defendant’s vehicle was observed driving past the address. • August 21, 2025, at [ADDRESS REDACTED], #XXX: officers locate one woman and seized a cell phone. 2 ••-CR-••-•••• Filed in District Court State of Minnesota 12/22/2025 • August 26, 2025, at 27XX Pheasant Ridge #X in Fitchburg, Wisconsin: officers located one woman. • November 26, 2025, at [ADDRESS REDACTED], #XXX: officers located two women, $2,253 in U. S. Currency, and multiple cell phones. • November 26, 2025, at 3XX West 77th Street, #s XXX and XXX: officers located two women, $13,509 in U. S. Currency, and multiple cell phones. • December 16, 2025, at [ADDRESS REDACTED], #XX: officers located a woman who they had previously encountered at 3XX West 77th Street.
