Sunnyvale, California, United States

David Lee Miller Jr., former Sunnyvale police officer; Sue Yun Song and Roger K. Li, owners and operators of the Crystal Palace; Sang Ye Han and Robert Kwong Wong, owners of Ok Yeo Bong From an Asian Week article: http://asianweek.com/2002_08_09/bay_sextrafficking.html "In this particular raid, FBI officials say that the owners of Crystal Palace Nightclub and Ok Yeo Bong bar in Sunnyvale, Calif., were involved in a sex trafficking ring where immigrant women were forced to have “dates” and sex with customers in exchange for rent, utilities and cost incurred to transport them into the U.S." From an article in the SJ Mercury News: http://wc1.worldcrossing.com/WebX/.ef3dd6b "The bars -- Crystal Palace Nightclub and Ok Yeo Bong -- recruited women from Korea for at least two years, authorities say, paying traveling expenses and getting visas, but then forced the women to repay their debts through prostitution. Patrolman David Lee Miller Jr., who has spent 15 years on the force, allegedly helped the bar owners build their enterprises by warning them of police inspections. Federal court documents say the 38-year-old Morgan Hill resident also helped track down women who skipped out on the clubs without paying back the expenses of bringing them into the country."

Location

United States · Sunnyvale, California · 2002 (location generalized to protect survivors)

Response & intervention

FBI, INS, IRS were all involved. The perpetrators were charged with different crimes; four or the five were convicted and sentenced to jail time: David Lee Miller Jr. was convicted of two counts of conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right, sentenced 7 May 2007 to 1 year and 1 day in prison. Roger K. Li was sentenced 11 July 2007 to 24 months in prison for involvement in conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens and commit extortion. Sang Ye Han was sentenced in 2006 to 33 months in prison. Robert Kwong Wong was sentenced 11 July 2007 to 24 months in prison for involvement in conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens and commit extortion. FBI bust. Perpetrators were arrested and charged, establishments shut down. The 9-12 suspected trafficking victims, most likely all Korean, were held in custody and most like were deported by the INS (information found in Asian Week article linked above). The following organizations offered to work w/INS to provide information, but were turned down: Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence (NDSDV) Asian Pacific Islander Legal Outreach (APILO)

Sources

Documented on the original SlaveryMap (2008–2016). Use “Report a problem” below to add a source or flag an issue.

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