Full Notification

Suspect Arrested in Human Trafficking Case
 
Man arrested for human trafficking and other charges after victim disclosed incident to medical staff.
 
San Mateo, CA – On August 21, 2024, at 1:19 p.m., San Mateo officers responded to a local area hospital on an alleged human trafficking call for service.  The victim disclosed to medical staff at the hospital that she was being human trafficked and threatened. 
 
When officers arrived at the hospital and spoke to the victim.  The victim told officers she had come to the United States on a work visa to work as a caretaking for the small child of a family.  Once she arrived in San Mateo the suspect, Qi Li, took the victim’s passport from her.  Over the course of a few months, the victim was verbally abused, denied personal liberties, and did not receive payment for her nanny services.  The victim told officers that on one occasion Qi Li held a knife to her throat and told the victim he was going to kill her. 
 
As the investigation continued, officers contacted outside services and was able to obtain a temporary safe living arrangement and support services for the victim.  SMPD officers continued with the investigation by authoring search warrants and speaking to additional witnesses.  Due to information gathered through the investigation, Qi Li was arrested for human trafficking, felony criminal threats, and brandishing a weapon.  Qi Li was transported and booked into San Mateo County Jail.       
 
This investigation is still on going.  If anyone has any additional information about this incident, contact the San Mateo Police Department.        

Human trafficking is the exploitation of another person through the use of force, fraud, or coercion.  Human trafficking routinely is divided into two categories, sex trafficking and labor trafficking. 

Sex Trafficking: the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for the purpose of a commercial sex act, in which the commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such an act has not attained 18 years of age (meaning, if the victim is under age 18 no force, fraud, or coercion need be shown).

Labor Trafficking: the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery.
 
More information about human trafficking can be found at https://stophumantraffickingsmc.org/, or you can call 650-802-4296.