MISSOULA — A woman has been convicted of sex and labor trafficking charges in Missoula.
A jury found Yanbin Bao guilty Wednesday on four felony counts of sex trafficking and one felony count of labor trafficking.
The charges are a result of Bao’s owning Soul Massage, which is described as an illicit commercial massage parlor in Missoula.
This marks a conviction in the "first large-scale sex and labor trafficking case" by the Missoula County Attorney’s Office, according to a news release.
A person, named only as "Jane Doe," contacted police on May 29, 2023, reporting that she had been physically assaulted by Bao and her husband, Richard Bushey, at Soul Massage, located at 5000 U.S. Highway 93 South.
What are described as "deplorable conditions" at Soul Massage, along with Jane Doe's statements, led officers to believe that Bao was engaged in sex trafficking. A search of the business revealed hidden condoms, lingerie, sexual lubricant and a ledger of customers and transactions, the release states.
Two Missoula County Sheriff's Office detectives were able to identify three victims that Bao had recruited and trafficked between April 26, 2023, and May 29, 2023.
“This verdict is the culmination of the hard work and dedication of so many, ” said Missoula County Deputy County Attorney Andrea Haney. “We are grateful to the jury and our partners in law enforcement and the community for their efforts. We hope this case shines a light on the issue of human trafficking and reflects our steadfast commitment to eradicating it one step at a time.”
Bao is scheduled to be sentenced in Missoula County District Court on May 27.
Missoula County Attorney Matt Jennings is thanking the following people and agencies for their involvement in the successful prosecution of Bao: Bureau of Land Management, Deliverfund, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Hao Wang, Missoula Crime Victim Advocate Annelise Nerison, Missoula County Sheriff’s Office, Montana Language Services, Montana Attorney General’s Appellate Division, and the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office in Ventura, Calif.
