WOMAN SENTENCED IN SEX TRAFFICKING CASE

BUFFALO, N.Y.-- U.S. Attorney Terrance P. Flynn announced today the sentencing of Len Wah Chong. Ms. Chong pled guilty on April 17, 2008, to Commercial Sex Trafficking by Force Fraud and Coercion in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1591. Ms. Chong was sentenced by United States District Judge William M. Skretny to a term of imprisonment of 72 months, 5 years Supervised Release, a $100 Special Penalty Assessment, ordered to forfeit property in the amount of $350,000 and ordered to pay restitution to 10 victims of the sex trafficking in the amount of $350,000.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert C. Moscati, who handled the prosecution, stated the defendant Len Wah Chong operated 4 area “acupressure spa” or massage parlor locations, now closed, which were fronts for prostitution and did so by recruiting Asian women to Western New York under false pretenses and then coercing them into performing commercial sex acts. Many of the women were undocumented aliens and Chong was able to manipulate them through threats of possible arrest and deportation, using her implied and actual associations and friendships with several public officials to legitimize and strengthen the fear she instilled in her employees.

United States Attorney Flynn noted that the case highlights how vulnerable certain segments of our society are. Flynn stated that the Department of Justice will not tolerate the victimization of any member of the community, especially those who, because of immigration status, language barriers and economic disadvantage, may be targeted by persons engaged in modern day slavery such as sex trafficking and forced labor.

U.S. Attorney Flynn also commended the work of the District’s Human Trafficking Task Force and Alliance (WDNY HTTFA) lead by AUSA Moscati, which investigated this matter. In November 2006, the Attorney General announced the creation of this task force in the Western District of New York, one of 42 nationwide. The WDNY HTTFA is a collaboration of local, state and federal law enforcement agencies working together to identify, rescue and assist victims of human trafficking, human smuggling and other civil and human rights offenses in the 17 Counties of this District, through aggressive investigation, prosecution, training, education and outreach to law enforcement, non-government organizations, vulnerable and affected persons and the general public.

The joint investigation included the participation of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Laurie Bennett; the United States Border Patrol, under the direction of Chief Patrol Agent Kevin Oaks; the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Lev J. Kubiak; the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Timothy B. Howard; the Niagara County Sheriff's Department, under the direction of Undersheriff Sam Muscarella; and the Town of Tonawanda Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Anthony J. Palombo.