Description: Portland, Oregon criminal defense lawyer represented defendant charged with international sex trafficking organization operating dozens of illegal Asian brothels in the United States, Canada and Australia.

Zongtao Chen aka Mark Chen, 49, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, led a criminal enterprise that recruited women, primarily from China, to travel to the United States and elsewhere to engage in prostitution and other sex trafficking activities. The organization employed dispatchers who would receive incoming requests for “dates” from potential customers. The dispatchers would coordinate and schedule dates with women working in the various brothels.

On November 15, 2018, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a two-count indictment charging Chen and four co-conspirators with conspiring to use and using interstate facilities to promote, manage, establish, carry on, or facilitate a racketeering enterprise. On March 4, 2022, after being extradited to the U.S., Chen pleaded guilty.

This case was investigated by FBI Portland’s Child Exploitation Task Force (CETF) with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents in Omaha, Nebraska. The Toronto Police Service provided assistance. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Canada to secure the arrest and extradition of Chen to the United States. Participating CETF member organizations include the Portland Police Bureau, Beaverton Police Department, Tigard Police Department and Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Julia Jarrett, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

The FBI CETF conducts sexual exploitation investigations, many of them undercover, in coordination with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. CETF is committed to locating and arresting those who prey on children as well as recovering and assisting victims of sex trafficking and child exploitation.

Outcome: 06/09/2022 145 Minutes of Proceedings: Sentencing Hearing held before Judge Michael W. Mosman as to Defendant Zongtao Chen. See Formal Judgment. Defendant advised of right to appeal. Counsel Present for Plaintiff: Julia Jarrett. Counsel Present for Defendant: Benjamin Km. (USPO Present: Theresa Fuchs) (Court Reporter Bonita Shumway) (Interpreter for Defendant Present: John Wan) (Mandarin) (Oath on file with the court.) (kms) (Entered: 06/09/2022)

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