In 2019, the Office of the Attorney General charged Huang, Lin, Cai, Wen, Lee, and another individual who currently remains at large with more than a dozen felonies related to sex trafficking of multiple victims, tax fraud, money laundering, and more.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced securing criminal sentences against the leaders of an organized crime trafficking ring that operated across California between 2015 and 2019. All five of the individuals arrested for their involvement in the ring — Jing Chiang Huang, Shu Mei Lin, Pengcheng Cai, Dafeng Wen, and Peishin Lee — have now been successfully prosecuted for crimes that included sex trafficking, labor trafficking, income tax evasion, money laundering, and conspiracy. The sentences ranged from 364 days to 10 years and eight months in state prison. The last sentencing occurred today before the Santa Clara County Superior Court.
“This case is an example of what the California Department of Justice does best,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta. “We work collaboratively with our partners to leverage our collective resources across the state to keep our communities safe and hold people accountable for their crimes. Each and every day our prosecutors and special agents work to combat human trafficking and end the exploitation of vulnerable Californians. I’m extremely proud of what we can accomplish when we work together and I’m grateful to all of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners who helped secure this important result. Let these sentences be a reminder: My office will vigorously prosecute those who violate the law and we will continue to stand up for all the people of California.”
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