MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. (FOX 2) – Three women were charged and one was arrested following a year-long human trafficking probe undertaken by sheriff’s deputies out Macomb County, which found an alleged prostitution ring that spanned state lines around the Midwest.
Xiaohong Ban, 52, was arrested inside an MGM Casino hotel room after police agencies working in several jurisdictions executed search warrants around Southeast Michigan. Two other female suspects, Shuying Ding, 41, and Lori Cai, 31, were charged in the case but have not been arrested.
A total of nine search warrants were conducted on Dec. 13, leading to the seizure of tens of thousands of dollars and dozens of electronic devices. The funds collected by the ring were sent overseas to China, says Sheriff Anthony Wickersham.
The alleged prostitution ring operated out of massage parlors and spas in Macomb and Wayne County. The individuals who were being trafficked didn’t have transportation or a place to live, they were encouraged to solicit sexual acts from customers.
The workers were also only paid based on their services and tips and did not earn an hourly wage.
“They were prisoners in these spas,” said Wickersham during a Monday news press conference.
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Shuying Ding (left), Xiaohong Ban, and Lori Cai. Mugshots and photos courtesy of Macomb County Sheriff’s Office
The sheriff said the investigation began after a tip came into the sheriff’s office last year. As the probe continued, the breadth of the investigation also grew. It culminated with search warrants being executed at spa locations in Mount Clemens, Fraser, Shelby Township, and two businesses in Livonia.
Homes in Troy and Livonia were also raided, as well as two hotel rooms at MGM Casino in Detroit.
Nine people were detained during the coordinated police operation and three individuals were turned over to U.S. Border Patrol for overstaying their visas. Five other females were released and were provided on-site assistance from Turning Point, an advocacy organization that helps human trafficking victims.
It’s unclear how long the prostitution ring was being run and Wickersham said police would have to go back and look at the occupancy records of the business locations.
“What we find a lot of times, especially as it relates to children, is where human trafficking starts is on the internet,” said Patrick Sierawski, an assistant prosecutor with Macomb County. “A lot of the time, they start the process without even knowing.”
No children were found to be trafficked, Sierawski said on Monday. However, there were ads online that offered sexual services at businesses where the operation ran out of.
Ban, Ding, and Cai were charged with prostitution/keeping house of ill fame – a 5-year felony. Ban is currently out on personal bond with a GPS tether after her arraignment. The other two suspects are currently missing.
Police agencies that assisted in the investigation include departments in Clinton Township, Shelby Township, Troy, Fraser, and Livonia. State police and the FBI also helped.
