(Boston Orange 周菊子編譯)麻州總檢察官辦公室今(14)日公佈，破獲兩起重大人口走私案，逮捕4名嫌犯，找到10名受害者。其中3名嫌犯，預定明(15)日一早在北安普頓地方法院受審。
受害人據稱是從紐約被人載到麻州的北安普頓(Northampton), 哈德雷(Hadley),傅萊明罕(Framingham), 東牧草(East Longmeadow)，以及艾格灣( Agawam)等多個社區裡的按摩院賣淫。麻州總檢查官奚莉(Maura
Healey)表示，麻州及紐約警方和聯邦人員攜手合作，才破獲此案。
住在蘇德蘭(Sunderland)，50歲的劉鳳玲(Feng Ling Liu)和她丈夫，48歲的宋江(譯音，Jian Song)夫婦，以及她女兒，26歲，住在紐約新海德公園(New Hyde Park)的尹婷婷(譯音，Ting Ting Yin)，都因為在紐約及麻州多地之間走私人口，今日被捕。
劉鳳玲和宋江是在麻州蘇德蘭被捕，預定明(15)日早上9點，在Belchertown的東漢普夏(Eastern Hampshire )區域法院出庭，被控罪名包括走私人口從事性服務，從賣淫，洗錢，共謀等行為獲利。
尹婷婷在紐約新海德公園被那沙(Nassau)郡地方檢察官辦公室逮捕，罪名包括走私人口從事性服務，從賣淫，洗錢，共謀等行為獲利
尹婷婷的有翻譯聽證，安排在稍後日期。
麻州總檢察官辦公室和西北區總檢察官辦公室，北安普頓警察局，在多個地方及聯邦執法人員協助下調查了數個月，才逮人，起訴。
警方在調查期間掌握的證據顯示，劉鳳玲和李淑治是相似的兩起人口走私案的首領，以按摩院做門面來從事牟利的有組織犯罪，藉由這些女子和嫖客的交易來賺取費用。
在警方的這次行動中，找到10名受害者。麻州總檢察官奚莉的受害者服務組正和受海者服務機構合作，為受害者提供援助。
警方表示，劉鳳玲在宋江的幫助下，在哈德雷經營哈德雷按摩理療院(Hadley Massage Therapy)，在東牧草經營鳳健康中心(Feng Health Center)，並在傅萊明罕經營身體按摩院(Massage
Body Work)。表面上這些店鋪是按摩院，但實際上是大型人口走私行動的門面。
尹婷婷協助把那些受害女子從紐約新海德公園載到麻州。
根據調查者的說法，劉鳳玲在宋江協助下，管理財務以及日常事務，包括招募婦女，在網上做性服務廣告，為性交易訂約會，以及載送婦女。這些交易的大部分收入都歸他們兩人。劉鳳玲把大部分要被載送的女子安排在同一棟大樓中住。
住在西春田市，52歲的李淑治(譯音，Shuzi Li)則因為在紐約皇后區的法拉盛和她位於北安普頓及艾格灣的店舖間走私人口而被捕。
在調查中，有關當局找到李淑治在皇后區法拉盛有獨立但相似的營業運作。她經營的店鋪有北安普頓的”Noho 松溫泉”，艾格灣的”艾格灣按摩理療院”。
李淑治和劉鳳玲依樣，也招募婦女，做網上性服務廣告，安排性交易約會，載送女子等。那些女子據說就住在提供性服務的房間裡。
李淑治是在麻州西春田市被麻州警察逮捕的。她預定明早9點，在北安普頓地方法院受審。
TWO EXTENSIVE HUMAN TRAFFICKING OPERATIONS DISMANTLED IN MAJOR MULTISTATE TAKEDOWN
Victims were Allegedly Transported from New York and Trafficked in Multiple Communities Including Northampton, Hadley, Framingham, East Longmeadow, and Agawam
BOSTON – Two extensive human trafficking operations have been dismantled in a major multistate law enforcement takedown led by Attorney General Maura Healey’s Office.
Four individuals were arrested and ten victims were identified during the operation. The victims were allegedly transported from New York and trafficked for commercial sex in “massage parlors” in multiple Massachusetts communities including Northampton, Hadley, Framingham, East Longmeadow and Agawam.
“Human trafficking is happening right here in our own communities across the state,” said AG Healey. “It is an egregious crime that victimizes vulnerable people, while traffickers profit. This is about the exploitation of human beings and my office will continue to prosecute these cases to hold traffickers and sex buyers accountable. We thank all of our law enforcement partners who assisted us in this major operation.”
Today, law enforcement authorities, including local, state and federal agencies from both Massachusetts and New York orchestrated the takedown.
Feng Ling Liu, age 50, her husband Jian Song, age 48, both of Sunderland, and her daughter, Ting Ting Yin, age 26, of New Hyde Park, N.Y., were all arrested today in connection with trafficking women between New Hyde Park, N.Y. and locations in Hadley, East Longmeadow, and Framingham.
Shuzi Li, age 52, of West Springfield, was arrested in connection with trafficking women between Flushing in Queens, N.Y. and her businesses in Northampton and Agawam.
These charges are the result of a months-long joint investigation by the AG’s Office, the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office, and the Northampton Police Department, with the assistance of various other local and federal law enforcement agencies, including agencies in New York.
“We are proud of the investigation by the Northwestern District Anti-Crime Task Force in helping dismantle these two human trafficking operations,” said Northwestern District Attorney David E. Sullivan. “The sexual exploitation and servitude of the victims in these operations is deplorable. We are grateful for the resources and expertise of Attorney General Healey’s Human Trafficking Division in this investigation. This major investigation could not have been accomplished without the special commitment made by the Northampton Police Department under the command of Chief Jody Kasper and the case agent Detective Peter Fappiano.”
“These are difficult cases for all involved. We are pleased that we were able to collaborate with so many partners within the criminal justice system who were committed to addressing the complex matter of human trafficking,” said Northampton Police Chief Jody Kasper. “Everyone involved worked diligently to ensure that this months-long investigation was completed thoroughly and thoughtfully so that the victims would be removed from these environments and that the parties responsible for these egregious offenses would be held accountable for their actions.”
During the course of the investigation, authorities developed evidence indicating that Li and Liu were the leaders of two separate but similar operations, running profitable and organized criminal enterprises through “massage parlors” that had been set up as fronts for human trafficking. Through these businesses, Li and Liu allegedly offered sexual activity between women and buyers in exchange for a fee.
Ten victims were identified during this operation. AG Healey’s Victim Services Division is working with victim service organizations to ensure victims have the assistance and services they need.
FENG LING LIU/JIAN SONG/TING TING YIN
Authorities allege that Liu, with help from Song, allegedly operated Hadley Massage Therapy in Hadley, Feng Health Center in East Longmeadow and Massage Body Work in Framingham. She allegedly portrayed these businesses as massage parlors while they were in fact fronts for an extensive human trafficking operation.
Authorities allege that Yin helped to coordinate the transport of women to Massachusetts from New Hyde Park, N.Y.
According to investigators, Liu, with help from Song, managed the financial and day-to-day aspects of the operations including recruiting women, advertising sexual services online, setting up appointments for sexual encounters, and transporting women. Liu and Song allegedly received the majority of the profits from these sexual encounters. Liu arranged for most of the women to stay in the same buildings where they were trafficked.
Liu and Song were arrested in Sunderland by Massachusetts State Police assigned to the AG’s Office, with assistance from the Sunderland Police Department, after search warrants were executed at the Massachusetts business locations and their residence in Sunderland.
They are scheduled to be arraigned in Eastern Hampshire District Court in Belchertown tomorrow in the morning session beginning at 9 a.m. on the charges ofTrafficking of Persons for Sexual Servitude, Deriving Support from Prostitution, Money Laundering and Conspiracy.
Yin was arrested in New Hyde Park by authorities from the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office on the charges of Trafficking of Persons for Sexual Servitude, Deriving Support from Prostitution, Money Laundering and Conspiracy. Massachusetts authorities executed search warrants at a residential unit and two other massage parlors in New Hyde Park, N.Y. that are allegedly involved in the operation.
A rendition hearing for Yin will be scheduled at later date.
SHUZI LI
During the course of the investigation, authorities also developed evidence that Li was running a separate but similar operation between Flushing, Queens and her businesses, Pine Spa NoHo in Northampton and Agawam Massage Therapy in Agawam.
Like Liu, Li allegedly recruited women, advertised sexual services online, set up appointments for sexual encounters, and arranged for transportation for the women. The women allegedly stayed in the same rooms where Li arranged for them to provide sexual services to buyers for a fee. Authorities allege that Li typically received the majority of the profits from these sexual encounters.
Li was arrested in West Springfield by Massachusetts State Police assigned to the AG’s Office, with assistance from West Springfield Police Department, after search warrants were executed at her businesses and her residence in West Springfield.
Li is scheduled to be arraigned in Northampton District Court tomorrow in the morning session beginning at 9 a.m. on the charges of Trafficking of Persons for Sexual Servitude, Deriving Support from Prostitution, and Money Laundering.
These investigations remain ongoing. These charges are allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
AG Healey has a dedicated Human Trafficking Division that focuses on policy, prevention and prosecution and includes a team of specialized prosecutors, victim advocates and Massachusetts State Police troopers who handle high impact, multi-jurisdictional human trafficking investigations and prosecutions across the state. Through the Human Trafficking Division, the AG’s Office has charged nearly 30 individuals in connection with human trafficking since the law was passed.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Bourgeois, of AG Healey’s Human Trafficking Division, Assistant Attorney General Elizabeth Vasiliades, of the AG’s Western Massachusetts Office and Criminal Bureau and Special Assistant Attorney General Jeremey Bucci, Chief Trial Counsel of the Northwestern DA’s Office, with assistance from the Massachusetts State Police assigned to the AG’s Office, the AG’s Digital Evidence Lab, Senior Financial Investigator Eugene Griffin and Victim Witness Advocate Rebecca Auld, Director of the AG’s Victim Services Division.
The Northwestern, Hampden, and Middlesex District Attorney’s Offices and the Northampton, Framingham, Sunderland, Hadley, East Longmeadow, Agawam, West Springfield, Greenfield, Malden, Belmont, Amherst, Easthampton and Lexington Police Departments also assisted in the investigation, as well as the Massachusetts Department of Corrections, the Hampshire County Sheriff’s Department, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department and the Hampden State Police Detective Unit.
Federal agencies including the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security also offered assistance.
New York authorities also assisted in the investigation and operation including the Nassau County DA’s Office, the Queens DA’s Office, the Manhattan DA’s Office, and the New York Police Department.
