Planters rest near an entrance to apartments, in Watertown, Mass. Three people have been charged with running a sophisticated commercial sex ring in Massachusetts and eastern Virginia that catered to well-connected clients such as elected officials and military officers. The address is connected to those accused of operating the sex ring.
Photo: Steven Senne/AP
WORCESTER, Mass. — Two people accused of operating a high-end brothel network with wealthy and prominent clients in Massachusetts and the Washington, D.C., suburbs will remain behind bars for now, a judge said on Wednesday.
Lawyers for Han Lee and Junmyung Lee agreed to a voluntary order of detention during a brief court hearing two weeks after their arrest. Magistrate Judge David Hennessy in Worcester, Massachusetts, entered the order without prejudice, which means defense lawyers can move for their release at a later date.
Their attorneys declined to comment after the hearing.
Authorities have said the commercial sex ring in Massachusetts and northern Virginia catered to politicians, company executives, military officers, lawyers, professors and other well-connected clients.
Prosecutors have not publicly named any of the buyers and they have not been charged. But acting Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Josh Levy has said the investigation is ongoing and that prosecutors are committed to holding accountable both those who ran the scheme and those who fueled the demand.
Prosecutors have argued Han Lee and Junmyung Lee pose a risk of flight, pointing to their financial resources and lack of ties to the community. A Homeland Security Investigations agent said in court papers filed Wednesday that authorities believe Han Lee made an “astounding” amount of money as the leader of the operation.
It was run using websites that falsely claimed to advertise nude Asian models for professional photography, prosecutors allege. The operators rented high-end apartments to use as brothels in Watertown and Cambridge,…
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