Bond set for 2 defendants facing charges in human trafficking case
WARREN, Ohio (WKBN) – Two defendants accused of operating a human trafficking ring out of local massage parlors appeared in the Trumbull County Court of Common Pleas on Thursday for their arraignments.
Suk Hui Starr, 64, of Fort Worth, Texas, pleaded not guilty to one count of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, 12 counts of money laundering and two counts of promoting prostitution.
Starr's case is being assigned to another judge because Common Pleas Court Judge Ronald Rice has a conflict with Starr's attorney, according to a news release from the Trumbull County Prosecutor's Office.
Bond was set at $50,000 and Starr had to surrender her passport. She told the court that she is an American citizen.
Tae Suk Hwang, aka 'Jeannie,' 62, of Saginaw, Michigan, pleaded not guilty to one count of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, one count of trafficking in persons – commercial sex acts, 58 counts of money laundering and 14 counts of promoting prostitution.
Hwang told the judge that she has lived in America for 42 years but is not a citizen, according to the news release. She surrendered her passport and the judge told her that ICE agents would be notified about her involvement in the criminal case.
Bond was set at $50,000 with a pretrial set for June 5.
Starr and Hwang are among eight people accused of running a human trafficking ring out of the Tiger Spa and Sunny Spa, both on West Market Street in Warren. The Tiger Spa is no longer in business.
The charges – all felonies – stem from an ongoing investigation by the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force. In March 2023, the task force and partnering agencies executed search warrants at the businesses as part of 'Operation Saving Daylight.'
The other defendants — Dong Meliodon, Chang Mi Hwang, Young Hee Yoon, Kum Cha Shugars — were previously arraigned and are also set for pretrials on June 5.
Miock Dong Schaffer and Young Sug Kim have yet to make court appearances.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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