Won lost

Human rights activists report that Northern Virginia is a hotspot for human trafficking, and in the latest example to reach the courts a Fairfax man pleaded guilty in federal court in Alexandria last Tuesday to harboring illegal aliens from Korea who served as "doumi girls" to flirt with male customers and pour drinks at karaoke clubs.

Thirty-seven-year-old Taesan Won, who is himself in the country illegally, faces up to 10 years in prison.

Court documents show that Won admitted employing illegal immigrants at his doumi (doh-uh-mee) business, called Honey. The women would be hired out to work at clubs catering to the Korean community in Annandale.

Won earned up to $4,000 a month running his business. Court documents show that he typically charged customers $70 an hour to sing, dance and flirt with a doumi woman. The woman would keep $50 and Won would get $20.

Won's arrest comes right on the heels of Gov. Bob McDonnell's crackdown on sex trafficking (see "Not for sale," June 2). The new laws are designed to both raise awareness about Virginia human trafficking and provide healing for those rescued from the industry.

Also, authorities say a mall security guard at Westfield Wheaton Mall in Maryland has acknowledged running a prostitution business and trying to recruit girls while on the job.

According to documents filed in federal court in Virginia, Cooper Kweme of Arlington acknowledged to authorities he has been a manager of girls for prostitution and drove girls to appointments to have sex since October 2010.

Kweme was arrested after a 16-year-old Arlington girl told police she had slept with Kweme several times and also had sex with eight other men who were Kweme's clients.

He is charged with transporting the girl, a minor, to engage in prostitution.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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