WARREN, Ohio — Eight people have pleaded guilty in connection with what authorities described as a Mahoning Valley human trafficking sex ring that forced women into prostitution at two illicit massage parlors in Warren.
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Mahoning County Sheriff Jerry Greene announced the pleas Wednesday. The defendants were charged in indictments filed last year alleging they confined women at the Tiger Spa and Sunny Spa, forced them to live on the premises and perform sex acts for money.
The charges stem from an investigation by the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force, formed under Yost’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission and led by the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office. In March 2023, the task force and partner agencies executed search warrants at the two businesses as part of “Operation Saving Daylight,” a coordinated enforcement effort during which investigators seized large amounts of cash, financial assets and business records.
Under the plea agreements, the defendants will forfeit more than $676,500 in seized funds, authorities said.
Those who pleaded guilty include:
- Chang Mi Hwang, also known as “Cherry,” 60, of Duluth, Georgia, to two counts of possessing criminal tools, fifth-degree felonies.
- Tae Suk Hwang, also known as “Jeannie,” 63, of Saginaw, Michigan, to three counts of attempting to promote prostitution, three counts of possessing criminal tools, one count of attempted money laundering, one count of obstruction of justice and one count of engaging in prostitution.
- Young Sug Kim, also known as “Young Crazy,” 62, of New Waterford, to one count of obstructing justice, one count of attempting to obstruct justice and one count of possessing criminal tools.
- Charles McGill, 69, of Warren, to one count of attempting to compel prostitution, two counts of attempted money laundering, three counts of promoting prostitution and one count of obstructing justice.
- Dong Meliodon, also known as “Sara,” 63, of Duluth, Georgia, to one count of attempted money laundering, two counts of attempting to promote prostitution and five counts of possessing criminal tools.
- Sunny Oh, 68, of Palisades Park, New Jersey, to one count of money laundering, one count of attempting to obstruct justice and five counts of possessing criminal tools.
- Miock Dong Schaffer, also known as “Cookie,” 57, of Norwalk, to one count of promoting prostitution, one count of attempted money laundering and three counts of money laundering.
- Young Hee Yoon, 57, of Warren, to four counts of promoting prostitution, four counts of attempted money laundering and one count of possessing criminal tools.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 17 in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court.
Cases against two additional defendants, Kum Cha Shugars and Suk Hui Starr, remain pending.
Yost’s Special Prosecutions Section is handling the prosecutions.