Crime & Safety
Human Trafficking Suspects Held on High Bail
According to a story in the Lowell Sun, a Medford woman and Woburn man were ordered held on $250,000 cash bail.
The following was written by Matt Schooley.
The Medford woman and Woburn man accused of running a human trafficking ring at massage parlors around the region were ordered on Monday to be held on $250,000 cash bail in Middlesex Superior Court, according to a report in the Lowell Sun.
The Sun reported that Xiu Chen, 32, and Ronald Keplin, 57, appeared in superior court on Monday and a judge ordered the high bail. According to the report, if Keplin and Chen make bail, they must surrender their passports, remain on home confinement and be monitored by a GPS device.
In May, Massachusetts Attorney General was in Wilmington to announce the arrest of the pair with one count each of trafficking of persons for sexual servitude, six counts each of deriving support from prostitution and six counts each of keeping a house of ill fame.
Coakley said Chen and Keplin ran massage parlors in Bedford, Billerica, Medford, Wilmington and Woburn that served as fronts for a human trafficking operation.
"Rather than prosecuting the woman who are often victims, often brought into the business at a very young age, who have few options or resources, we are focusing through his human trafficking law on successfully prosecuting the operators, the criminal organizations, those who profit from this business," Coakley said in May.
According to the report in The Sun, both Chen and Keplin are slated for a pretrial conference on August 2.
Click here to read the Lowell Sun report in its entirety.
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Medford Woman Indicted on Human Trafficking Charges
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