Five defendants were convicted yesterday by a federal jury for their roles in operating a massive international sex trafficking organization that was responsible for coercing hundreds of Thai women to engage in commercial sex acts across the United States.
Michael Morris, 65, of Seal Beach, California; Pawinee Unpradit, 46, of Dallas, Texas; Saowapha Thinram, 44, of Hutto, Texas; Thoucharin Ruttanamongkongul, 35, of Chicago Illinois; and Waralee Wanless, 39, of The Colony, Texas, were convicted following a six-week trial before Senior Judge Donovan Frank in U.S. District Court in St. Paul, Minnesota. Thirty-one defendants previously pleaded guilty for their roles in the sex trafficking organization.
“More than two years ago, my office filed the first federal indictment against a criminal organization that relied on the sexual exploitation of women for their own financial gain,” said U.S. Attorney MacDonald. “Since then, our team of prosecutors and investigators systematically dismantled the organization, while seeking justice for every victim of this organization. The process has been long, but today’s guilty verdict represents both a successful and just outcome. While our work combatting human trafficking continues, this case stands as a powerful example of the Department of Justice’s commitment to achieving justice for victims. I applaud our law enforcement partners for the remarkable dedication and collaboration they have demonstrated throughout this process.”…
https://breaking911.com/breaking-36-convicted-in-largest-international-sex-trafficking-ring-brought-down-by-us-government/