By Ryan Lovelace The Washington Times Friday, March 21, 2025
The operators and clients of an interstate brothel network shut down in 2023 are beginning to suffer consequences — except in Northern Virginia.
A federal court sentenced the top manager of the prostitution ring with brothels in suburban Washington and in Massachusetts to prison this week.
A Massachusetts court started revealing the identities of the sex-buying johns visiting the greater Boston brothels last week.
But the clients of the prostitution ring’s Northern Virginia brothels that closed two years ago have yet to suffer legal consequences.
The U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts sentenced brothel operator Han Lee, 42, on Wednesday to four years in prison plus a year of supervised release. Lee, born in South Korea and living in Massachusetts, was found guilty on charges of running the brothels and on money laundering conspiracy.
U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley said Lee didn’t only recruit women to sell their bodies for sex, but she also “built a criminal enterprise designed to thrive in the shadows, evading law enforcement while profiting off her victims like commodities.”
“We will relentlessly pursue and prosecute those who exploit vulnerable women through interstate sex trafficking and launder their illicit gains,” Ms. Foley said in a statement. “Those who engage in this conduct will be identified, held accountable and sent to federal prison. Full stop.”
Not in Virginia.
The Justice Department listed in 2023 the accused commercial sex buyers at the brothels as elected officials, military officers, government contractors with security clearances and high-tech executives.
Virginia’s state prosecutors told The Washington Times last year they decided not to do anything about referrals from federal prosecutors because of a lack of evidence. Their decision hasn’t changed.
Fairfax Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano, a Democrat, believed he didn’t have sufficient proof to make cases against the sex buyers under the state’s solicitation statute, according to his spokeswoman, Laura Birnbaum.
She said last year that Mr. Descano’s office talked with the office of Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares, a Republican, about taking on some cases as well but that his team declined.
Mr. Miyares’ office confirmed last year that there was a lack of sufficient evidence and stressed that Mr. Descano had jurisdiction.
Asked whether there was any change in their decision to ignore the accused sex-buying johns in Northern Virginia brothels, Mr. Miyares’ office on Thursday directed The Times to Mr. Descano’s office, which didn’t respond to requests for comment.
The Justice Department listed in 2023 the accused commercial sex buyers at the brothels as elected officials, military officers, government contractors with security clearances and high-tech executives.
Virginia’s state prosecutors told The Washington Times last year they decided not to do anything about referrals from federal prosecutors because of a lack of evidence. Their decision hasn’t changed.
Fairfax Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano, a Democrat, believed he didn’t have sufficient proof to make cases against the sex buyers under the state’s solicitation statute, according to his spokeswoman, Laura Birnbaum.
She said last year that Mr. Descano’s office talked with the office of Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares, a Republican, about taking on some cases as well but that his team declined.
Mr. Miyares’ office confirmed last year that there was a lack of sufficient evidence and stressed that Mr. Descano had jurisdiction.
Asked whether there was any change in their decision to ignore the accused sex-buying johns in Northern Virginia brothels, Mr. Miyares’ office on Thursday directed The Times to Mr. Descano’s office, which didn’t respond to requests for comment.
