Concord Couple Ran Chinese Sex Ring: Feds

CONCORD, NH — A Concord couple recruited prostitutes from China and pimped them out at residences, hotels and motels across New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont, according to federal authorities. Shou Chao Li and Derong Miao, both 37, were indicted Thursday in federal court in Maine on a host of charges, including sex trafficking and conspiracy. They face up to life in prison and $250,000 in fines.

Li and Miao, who are married and were born in China, started their scheme in July 2016, according to Maine U.S. Attorney Halsey Frank. They lured women to the United States over the Chinese messaging app WeChat and promised they would earn "hundreds" of dollars a day working as prostitutes across Northern New England, prosecutors claimed.

"This inaccurate and inflated figure did not incorporate operating costs and payments that were expected to be made to the (Li and Miao) ... for their roles in facilitating the prostitution," prosecutors wrote.

The couple advertised the prostitutes on Backpage.com and rented rooms across the region for encounters with clients, prosecutors said. The couple "deprived (the prostitutes) of documents, food, clothing, room keys and other things to ensure they were unable to leave such locations," prosecutors wrote.

The couple rented more than a dozen rooms in apartments, hotels and motels across Northern New England, prosecutors said. In New Hampshire, the couple rented rooms at Portsmouth's Motel 6 and Best Western; the Microtel in Dover; and two residences in Manchester, prosecutors claim.

Frank said the couple isolated the women and controlled their movements.

The couple pleaded not guilty to all charges during a court appearance Thursday, according to the Portland Press Herald.

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