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Classifieds

Publication Date: Friday, July 26, 2002

Mountain View men arrested in prostitution bust

The bust also netted David Lee Miller, a 15-year veteran of the Sunnyvale Police Department who is charged with rackateering and extortion after allegedly receiving gifts and sex from two "hostess bars" in exchange for police information and protection.

Sang Ye Han, 42, and Robert Kwong Wong, 53, both of Mountain View, were also arrested.

The bust was the result of a two-year, multiagency undercover investigation of alleged alien importation, prostitution and extortion involving two Korean hostess bars in Sunnyvale, according to the FBI.

Authorities say a Sunnyvale police investigation of alleged prostitution at the Crystal Palace Nightclub at 1183 W. El Camino Real and the Ok Yeo Bong at 606 S. Bernardo Ave. uncovered indications of corruption and potential federal law violations. Agents from the FBI, the Immigration and Naturalization Service and the Internal Revenue Service joined the probe.

Officials claim the two businesses were staffed by young women recruited from Korea who were brought to the United States, in some cases illegally. Investigators allege the women were forced to work in the hostess bars to repay the debt for their passage to this country, which was as much as $30,000.

They also claim the bar owners allegedly gave Miller gifts and "sexual benefits'' in exchange for his giving them advance notice of possible law enforcement actions against the clubs, access to law enforcement database information and Miller's use of his position as a police officer to help collect debts from employees.

Miller has been placed on administrative leave indefinitely.

All five defendants made their first federal court appearance in San Jose on Tuesday morning and are being held in Santa Clara County jail. No bail has been set, pending a court hearing today at which time they are expected to arrange for counsel.
--Bay City News