By Gina Martinez
Three Flushing residents have been indicted for allegedly running a multi-state prostitution ring, the acting U.S. attorney in the Buffalo area said last week.
Acting U.S Attrney of the Western District James Kennedy Jr. said.
Feng Yang Chen, 41; LiangLiang Guo, 31; and Cheng Qi Li, 28, were charged with conspiracy to violate the Mann Act and the Travel Act related to the operation of an interstate prostitution business, according to James Kennedy Jr. of the Western District of New York.
According to the U.S Attorney’s office, Between March 2011 and March 2016, Chen, Guo and Li posted ads on backp
Chen and Li also operated a call center out of Flushing, scheduling meetings between prostitutes and clients, the acting U.S. attorney said. said, while Guo drove the victims to different hotels and collected money from the sex activities. According to Kennedy, some of the commercial sex acts took place in Tonawanda, N.Y., and Henrietta, N.Y.
Chen was charged with conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion and sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum of life if found guilty, the acting U.S. attorney said. Guo and Li face a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
“While the sexual exploitation of another is a criminal act that victimizes the person exploited,” Kennedy said, “a criminal enterprise such as this, which provides profits to those who orchestrate such exploitation, is particularly pernicious.”
According to the indictment, throughout the conspiracy, the defendants victimized 12 individuals who traveled state-to-state to engage in prostitution in different hotels.
Prosecutors are seeking the forfeiture of $476,354.74 in profits, as well as two properties in Flushing, a 2012 Porsche Cayenne, cell phones, computers, and iPads used during the prostitution conspiracy.
“The defendant allegedly callously abused and exploited vulnerable women for her own financial gain,” Homeland Security special agen James Spero said. “The charges announced today will hopefully lay the foundation to restore the dignity of those victimized by this alleged criminal enterprise.”
Reach Gina Martinez by e-mail at gmart
