Bean Town Times

A Malden, Massachusetts man was sentenced in Boston federal court for his involvement in the armed robberies of two businesses where victims were beaten, dragged, and duct-taped.

Li Wen Tang, 33, received a sentence from U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton of 78 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. In April 2024, Tang pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery affecting commerce after a jury convicted one of his co-defendants, Alfeu Barbosa, in March 2024 for the same offenses. Barbosa was arrested and charged in June 2022. Tang and Jonas Nunez were later arrested and charged in August and September 2022 respectively. All three defendants were subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury.

On June 12, 2022, at approximately 8:51 p.m., Tang entered Balance Reflexology Spa in Brookline under the pretense of seeking a massage. The victim employee locked the door before taking Tang into the back room to begin the massage as she was alone that night. After briefly starting the massage, Tang claimed he no longer wanted it due to an upset stomach and demanded a refund. While the victim was on the phone with her boss to approve the refund, Tang unlocked the front door allowing two masked men—later identified as Barbosa and Nunez—to enter carrying firearms.

One of the men struck the victim employee in the face, knocking her to the floor and placing a gun to her head. They then dragged her by her hair into a back hallway where they bound her wrists and ankles with duct tape while repeatedly demanding money. The men ransacked the spa for about three minutes before stealing approximately $500 along with the victim's cell phone and leaving together in a vehicle captured on surveillance footage.

Later that evening at around 10:19 p.m., Barbosa, Nunez, and an associate committed another similar robbery at May’s Spa Massage in Stoneham. They entered wearing masks and carrying firearms, duct-taping several victims present at that time. They stole approximately $600 in cash along with cell phones belonging to three female victims present during the robbery as well as other personal items before leaving again in their vehicle.

Nunez pleaded guilty and was sentenced on April 18, 2024 to 23 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Barbosa was convicted by a federal jury and sentenced on July 17, 2024 to 121 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Boston Division made this announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by multiple law enforcement agencies including those from New York; Massachusetts State Police; Brookline; Stoneham; Boston; Wakefield; and New York City Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Luke A. Goldworm and Robert E. Richardson are prosecuting this case.

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