StateofMinnesota DistrictCourt

CountyofHennepin 4thJudicialDistrict
ProsecutorFileNo. 17A03494
CourtFileNo. 27-CR-17-12407

StateofMinnesota, COMPLAINT
Plaintiff, Warrant
vs.
SONAMTSERINGDOB:02/21/1981
885LONGPONDRD
PLYMOUTH,MA02360
Defendant.

The Complainant submits this complaint to the Court and states that there is probable cause to believe
Defendantcommittedthefollowingoffense(s):
COUNTI
Charge:PromotesProstitutionofanIndividual
MinnesotaStatute:609.322.1a(2),withreferenceto:609.322.1(b)(4),609.322.1a
MaximumSentence:25YEARSAND/OR$60,000
OffenseLevel:Felony
OffenseDate(onorabout):11/01/2016
Control#(ICR#):16010120
Charge Description: That on or about the time period from November 1, 2016 through January 3, 2017, in
Hennepin County, Minnesota, SONAM TSERING, while acting other than as a prostitute or patron, did
intentionally promote the prostitution of an individual, and the offense involved more than one sex
traffickingvictim.
COUNTII
Charge:ReceivesProfitsFromProstitution
MinnesotaStatute:609.322.1a(3),withreferenceto:609.322.1(b)(4),609.322.1a
MaximumSentence:25YEARSAND/OR$60,000
OffenseLevel:Felony
OffenseDate(onorabout):11/01/2016
Control#(ICR#):16010120
Charge Description: That on or about the time period from November 1, 2016 through January 3, 2017, in
Hennepin County, Minnesota, SONAM TSERING, received profit knowing or having reason to know that it
was derived from prostitution, or the promotion of the prostitution, of an individual, and the offense
involvedmorethanonesextraffickingvictim.
COUNTIII

1
Charge:Engagesinthesextraffickingofanindividual
MinnesotaStatute:609.322.1a(4),withreferenceto:609.322.1(b)(4),609.322.1a
MaximumSentence:25YEARSAND/OR$60,000
OffenseLevel:Felony
OffenseDate(onorabout):11/01/2016
Control#(ICR#):16010120
Charge Description: That on or about the time period from November 1, 2016 through January 3, 2017, in
Hennepin County, Minnesota, SONAM TSERING, engaged in the sex trafficking of an individual, Victim 1,
andtheoffenseinvolvedmorethanonesextraffickingvictim.
COUNTIV
Charge:Engagesinthesextraffickingofanindividual
MinnesotaStatute:609.322.1a(4),withreferenceto:609.322.1(b)(4),609.322.1a
MaximumSentence:25YEARSAND/OR$60,000
OffenseLevel:Felony
OffenseDate(onorabout):11/01/2016
Control#(ICR#):16010120
Charge Description: That on or about the time period from November 1, 2016 through January 3, 2017, in
Hennepin County, Minnesota, SONAM TSERING, engaged in the sex trafficking of an individual, Victim 2,
andtheoffenseinvolvedmorethanonesextraffickingvictim.

2
 STATEMENTOFPROBABLECAUSE

Complainanthasinvestigatedthefactsandcircumstancesofthisoffenseandbelievesthefollowing
establishesprobablecause:

OnNovember1,2016,officerswereinvestigatingprostitutioncrimesinHennepinCounty,Minnesota.They
cameacrossanadvertisementonBackpages.comforanapparentAsianprostitutedwoman.Theofficers
haddealtwithseveralAsianHumanTraffickingOrganizations(AHTO)andthisoneappearedtobesetup
thesameway.Officerscalledthenumberfromtheadvertisementandweredirectedtoacallcenter,who
thendirectedthemtotheactuallocationofthevictim.

Withthefirstadvertisement,theofficersweredirectedtoanapartmentintheCityofEdina,Hennepin
County,Minnesota.Uponarrivalattheapartment,oneoftheofficerswasmetbyanidentifiedadultfemale
(Victim1),whowasdressedinlingerie.TheofficeridentifiedhimselfaspoliceandshowedVictim1his
badge.Whilepolicewerepresent,anothermalearrivedandadmittedhewastheretovisitVictim1.

Victim1onlyspokeChinese,soatranslationservicewasusedtocommunicatewithher.Victim1saidshe
wasfromChinabutlivesinNewYork.Victim1engagesinprostitutiontosavemoneyformedicalissues.
Victim1showedtheofficeralargemedicalscardownherspine.Victim1saidsheearnedapproximately
$1,000throughprostitution.Victim1wastransportedfromNewYorktoMinnesotaforthesolepurposeto
beaprostituteandhadtogivealargeportionofherearningstotheAHTO.

Overthecourseofapproximatelyonemonth,officersconductedaninvestigationusingsurveillance,traffic
stops,andothermethodstohelpidentifyindividualsinvolvedinthisAHTO.Oneofthepersonswas
identifiedasDefendant,SONAMTSERING[(D.O.B.2/21/1981)(Tsering)].

OnNovember16,2016,afterofficershadshutdowntheEdinalocation,officerswatchedanassociateof
TseringandanothermaleastheybeganmovingitemsoutoftheEdinaapartmentdirectlytoanother
apartmentinRichfield,HennepinCounty,Minnesota.TheRichfieldapartmentwasrentedusingthesame
stolenidentityastheEdinaapartment.

OnDecember28,2016,officerswatchedTseringwalkoutoftheRichfieldapartmentbuildingwitha
garbagebagandplaceitinthedumpster.Officersfoundmultiplecondomwrappersandtissueswith
apparentbodilyfluidsinthebag.

VideosurveillanceinthecommonhallwayoftheRichfieldapartmentbuildingshowed10-12mencomingto
theapartmentinoneday.ThevideosurveillancealsocapturedTseringcomingtotheapartmentandusing
akeytoopenthedoor.

OnJanuary3,2017,officersrespondedtoanotherBackpages.comprostitutionadvertisementandwere
directedtotheRichfieldapartment.Uponarrival,theofficerwasmetbyanidentifiedadultfemale(Victim
2).Victim2alsoreportedengaginginprostitution.SheidentifiedTseringasthemanwholivedwithher
andthepersonwhocollectedmoneyfromher.Victim2saidshetakescustomersalldayandnight.The
customerpayshermoney,sheusescondomswhichareprovidedtoher,andthenshepaysTseringand
TseringissupposedtopassthemoneyalongtosomeoneelseintheAHTO.Victim2issupposedtobe
pay$50forevery$140shemakes.Themenpay$180foranhouror$140forahalfhour.

Tseringwasinterviewedwiththehelpofaninterpreter.Tseringadmittedtogettingpaidfortakingcareof
theprostitutedwomenandthathecollectedmoneyfromthemaswell.Tseringsaidhecollects$50for
every$140thewomenmadeand$80forevery$180shemade.Everynight,thewomenweresupposedto
3
putthemoneyinabox.Therewas$3,000intheboxfromthelasttwoweeks.Tseringalsoadmittedto
pickingupVictim2fromtheairportandbringinghertotheRichfieldapartment.Tseringsaidheworkedfor
apersonheonlyknewasJack.Tseringsaidtheboxofapproximately500condomsthatpolicefound
weresenttohimbyJack.Tseringalsodiscussedbeinga10%ownerinarestaurantinMapleGrovewhich
hehasput$10,000into.

Tseringsbankrecordsshowedcashdepositsof$19,870inlessthanfivemonths.Theaccountbalancefor
thisaccountwasonly$123.76onDecember29,2016.

AnassociateofDefendant,whoisanothersuspectedmemberoftheAHTOandwhohelpedmove
everythingfromtheEdinaapartmentdirectlytotheRichfieldapartment,hadlargebankdepositstotaling
$52,334.03inlessthanfivemonths.Thattotaldidnotevenincludedepositsunder$1,000thatweremade
duringthatsametimeperiod.Therewas$7,000incheckstoTseringfromthisassociatesaccountand
variousothercashwithdrawalstotaling$19,000.Theaccountbalanceonthataccountwasonly$160.01on
December13,2016.

TseringwasknowntohavevisitedCaliforniawithanothersuspectedmemberoftheAHTOduringthis
investigation.GivenTseringsresources,histiestoanorganizationthatrepeatedlyfliespeopleacross
statelinesandinternationallyforillicitpurposes,andtheseriousnessofthesecharges,theStateis
requestingawarrant.

BLAKELYNOTICE:TheStatewillbeseekinganaggravatedsentencebasedonthefactscontainedinthis
complaintandevidenceprovidedduringdiscovery,onthegroundsofMinn.Stat.Section609.322,
subdivision1(b)(4)(theoffenseinvolvedmorethanonesextraffickingvictim)andMinn.Sent.Guidelines
2.G.9(notingtheaddedpenaltyof48monthstothestandardguidelinessentence).

4
 SIGNATURESANDAPPROVALS

ComplainantrequeststhatDefendant,subjecttobailorconditionsofrelease,be:
(1)arrestedorthatotherlawfulstepsbetakentoobtainDefendant'sappearanceincourtor
(2)detained,ifalreadyincustody,pendingfurtherproceedingsandthatsaidDefendantotherwise
bedealtwithaccordingtolaw.
Complainantdeclaresunderpenaltyofperjurythateverythingstatedinthisdocumentistrueand
correct.Minn.Stat.358.116Minn.R.Crim.P.2.01,subds.1,2.

Complainant MatthewHeinzmann ElectronicallySigned:

Detective 05/19/201701:57PM
1800WOldShakopeeRoad HennepinCounty,MN
Bloomington,MN55431
Badge:254

Beingauthorizedtoprosecutetheoffensescharged,Iapprovethiscomplaint.

ProsecutingAttorney JustinWesley ElectronicallySigned:

300S6thSt 05/19/201710:45AM
Minneapolis,MN55487
(612)348-5550

5
 FINDINGOFPROBABLECAUSE
From the above sworn facts, and any supporting affidavits or supplemental sworn testimony, I, the Issuing Officer, have
determined that probable cause exists to support, subject to bail or conditions of release where applicable, Defendants arrest
or other lawful steps be taken to obtain Defendants appearance in court, or Defendants detention, if already in custody,
pendingfurtherproceedings.Defendantisthereforechargedwiththeabove-statedoffense(s).

SUMMONS
THEREFOREYOU,THEDEFENDANT,ARESUMMONEDtoappearon___________,_____at_____AM/PM
beforetheabove-namedcourtat300SSixthStreet,Minneapolis,MN55487toanswerthiscomplaint.

IFYOUFAILTOAPPEARinresponsetothisSUMMONS,aWARRANTFORYOURARRESTshallbeissued.

X WARRANT
To the Sheriff of the above-named county or other person authorized to execute this warrant: I order, in the name of the State
of Minnesota, that the Defendant be apprehended and arrested without delay and brought promptly before the court (if in
session), and if not, before a Judge or Judicial Officer of such court without unnecessary delay, and in any event not later than
36hoursafterthearrestorassoonassuchJudgeorJudicialOfficerisavailabletobedealtwithaccordingtolaw.

ExecuteinMNOnly X ExecuteNationwide ExecuteinBorderStates

ORDEROFDETENTION
Since the Defendant is already in custody, I order, subject to bail or conditions of release, that the Defendant continue to be
detainedpendingfurtherproceedings.

Bail:$250,000.00
ConditionsofRelease:

Thiscomplaint,dulysubscribedandsworntoorsignedunderpenaltyofperjury,isissuedbytheundersignedJudicialOfficer
asofthefollowingdate:May19,2017.

JudicialOfficer JeanniceM.Reding ElectronicallySigned:05/19/201702:37PM

DistrictCourtJudge

SworntestimonyhasbeengivenbeforetheJudicialOfficerbythefollowingwitnesses:

COUNTYOFHENNEPIN
STATEOFMINNESOTA

StateofMinnesota
Plaintiff LAWENFORCEMENTOFFICERRETURNOFSERVICE
IherebyCertifyandReturnthatIhaveservedacopyofthisWarrant
vs. upontheDefendanthereinnamed.
SignatureofAuthorizedServiceAgent:
SONAMTSERING
Defendant