Plano, Texas – A federal grand jury has indicted eleven individuals, including Quyen Thuc Ha, also known as Tony Ha, for their roles in a sprawling prostitution ring operating across the Eastern District of Texas. The indictment, returned on June 12, 2013, charges them with conspiracy to use interstate facilities to promote and manage brothels, among other crimes.
Tony Ha, 53, is accused of owning nine massage parlors that served as fronts for brothels. He is alleged to have conspired with others to transport prostitutes from various states to Texas for paid sexual encounters. Ha also faces charges of bribery for paying local police detectives to protect his illegal operations.
The ring’s activities included the use of internet sites and a local newspaper to advertise brothel locations, and the renting of apartments and homes in Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas to facilitate the operation. Those named in the indictment include Lai Iong Chiu, also known as Mindy or Wendy; Xia Xu, known as Coco; and Michael Gene Jones, 64.
Arrest warrants were executed on June 17, 2013, with initial appearances held before U.S. Magistrate Judge Amos Mazzant in Sherman the following day. If convicted of conspiracy charges, each defendant faces up to five years in federal prison, while use of interstate facility and bribery charges carry penalties up to ten years.
This investigation was led by the FBI, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) and Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), as well as various local law enforcement agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mandy Griffith is prosecuting the case.
A grand jury indictment does not constitute evidence of guilt, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Sex Crimes|Public Corruption|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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