BELCHERTOWN — A New York woman who prosecutors say played a role in a human trafficking operation with ties to western Massachusetts pleaded not guilty to a range of charges Dec. 21.
Ting Ting Yin, 26, who appeared in Eastern Hampshire District Court to answer charges of trafficking of a person for sexual servitude, deriving support from prostitution, money laundering and conspiracy, was released on personal recognizance following her arraignment. Yin was arrested at her home in New Hyde Park on Dec. 13 and brought to Massachusetts.
Authorities said Yin helped shuttle women among three massage parlors that were actually fronts for commercial sex operations. Yin could also be connected financially to the operation, as her name was on rental applications for the locations as well as bank accounts.
At Wednesday’s arraignment, Assistant Attorney General Jeff Bourgeois said when Yin was arrested in New York, she acknowledged to police she made and paid for postings to Craigslist and Backpages, a website known for prostitution, for the massage parlors.
Yin denied knowledge of sexual activity at the massage parlors, according to Bourgeois. Police observed Yin bringing a woman from one location to another, Bourgeois said. The woman, he said, was made to sit in the back seat of the vehicle rather than the front passenger seat.
Bourgeois requested that Yin be held on $500,000 bail. He also requested that if she were to post bail, she submit to GPS monitoring and not leave the state.
After hearing Bourgeois’ arguments, Judge David Ross told the attorney he hadn’t heard anything that directly tied Yin to the allegations.
