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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CRT FEBRUARY 26, 2008 (202) 514-2008 WWW.USDOJ.GOV TDD(202) 514-1888 CHINESE WOMAN SENTENCED FOR ROLE IN SAIPAN SEX TRAFFICKING RING |
WASHINGTON - Wei Qin Sun, a national of the People's Republic of China (PRC) was sentenced on Feb. 22, 2008, in federal court in the Northern Mariana Islands following her conviction for sex trafficking, the Justice Department announced today. The Northern Mariana Islands is a territory of the United States located in the Pacific Ocean. Sun was sentenced to 41 months imprisonment. After her release from prison, Sun will be on federal supervised release for three years.
On Oct. 19, 2007, a federal jury found Sun guilty of her role in luring a young woman from the PRC to the Northern Mariana Islands' capital city of Saipan by promising the woman a job as a waitress in a karaoke club managed by Sun. Evidence at trial showed that Sun charged the woman $5,000 for "recruitment fees" and travel expenses. Only after the victim arrived in Saipan on March 2, 2007, and began to work at the club, was the victim informed that she must work as a prostitute to repay Sun.
Specifically,
the jury convicted Sun of coercion and enticement for prostitution, foreign
transportation of a person in the execution of a fraudulent scheme, and
criminal conspiracy.
"Sex trafficking is a heinous crime that ruins lives and robs victims
of their dignity," said Grace Chung Becker, Acting Assistant Attorney
General for the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. "The
Department of Justice will work tirelessly to rescue victims of human
trafficking and ensure that those who engage in this deplorable crime
are brought to justice."
Human trafficking prosecutions are a top priority of the Department. In
the last seven fiscal years, the Civil Rights Division, in conjunction
with U.S. Attorneys' Offices, has increased by seven-fold the number of
human trafficking cases filed in court. In 2007, the Department obtained
a record number of convictions in human trafficking prosecutions.
The investigation of this case was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric O'Malley and Trial
Attorney Jared Fishman of the Civil Rights Division.