http://www.dallasnews.com/news/commu...ead-guilty.ece
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wo of the leaders of a major prostitution ring busted up in North Texas last year have pleaded guilty to federal charges.
The plea agreements are largely the result of an investigation launched in 2011 by local and federal authorities dubbed Operation Flaming Dragon. That investigation led to a raid in June 2013 that shut down nine brothels masquerading as massage parlors. More than 20 people with ties to the ring were arrested. Eleven were charged in a federal indictment.
Yu Lin Chang, 38, appeared at the federal courthouse in Plano on Wednesday wearing shackles and a baggy black and white striped jail jumpsuit. Using a Mandarin interpreter, she pleaded guilty to her role in managing the brothels in Plano, Dallas and Hurst. As part of her plea deal, she faces 48 months in federal prison. A formal sentencing date has not been set.
Chang was often referred to as the wife of Quyen Thuc Ha, 55, of Richardson, though he was married to someone else. Ha owned the businesses and helped Chang operate them. Ha, who speaks Vietnamese, pleaded guilty in federal court last week to two counts of bribery. Ha faces up to 10 years in prison. His sentencing date has not been set.
According to court documents, Ha paid a police detective in Plano and another in Dallas a combined $315,000 between 2011 and 2013. Ha thought he was buying police protection for his brothels. He also made payments to keep his prostitutes out of jail.
In at least one instance, Ha paid the Plano detective $10,000 for assistance in getting a prostitution charge dropped. Court documents say that prostitute gave that same amount to Ha once the charge was dropped.
But the two detectives were working undercover and documenting all the payments as they cooperated with federal authorities to bring down the business.
The U.S. attorney’s office for the Eastern District of Texas has filed notice seeking to have $312,500 of the bribery money forfeited to the government. The agency also seeks to keep more than $344,000 in cash that was seized from Ha’s bank accounts, the brothels and the other defendants. The bulk of that cash — $262,899 — was seized at Chang’s Plano home in March. Also on the forfeiture list are four vehicles used by the defendants or the business.
According to the court, the brothels posted ads on backpage.com and in a local newspaper. One online ad was titled “Asian Fantasy.” The business also used the Internet and cellphones to spread the word about services offered. The brothels purchased Crown brand condoms in bulk.
According to federal authorities, the brothels transported prostitutes from California, Nevada and Georgia to work for three to four weeks at the North Texas locations. Those who were successful stayed longer.
The ring also used homes and apartments in Dallas, The Colony, Oklahoma City and St. Louis, Mo., to conduct business. Records indicate the ring also used a hotel in Plano.
Officials with the U.S. attorney’s office declined to comment Wednesday because some of the cases are still active.
Seven others involved in the brothels have accepted plea deals with federal prosecutors: Jia-Her Hwang, 66; Prapatson Verhotz, 48; Kim Sey Lau, 57; Yu Qian, 46; Tin Min Lo, 52; Michael Gene Jones, 65; and Li Meng Shank, 43.
Verhotz, Qian and Shank all worked as prostitutes. They were each sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison. Verhotz was also fined $2,000 while Qian was fined $40,000, according to court documents.
Sentencing hearings for the other four are pending.
Federal charges are pending for Lai Iong Chiu and Xia Xu. Several others faced misdemeanor charges in state district court for prostitution.
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