In a matter of first impression regarding Massachusetts’ relatively new provision intended to combat sex trafficking, the state Supreme Judicial Court concluded that the identity of a trafficking victim is not an essential element of the statute.
The defendant, Pingxia Fan, was convicted of five counts each of human trafficking, deriving support from prostitution, keeping a house of ill fame, and three counts of money laundering for her alleged role in operating five brothels in the greater Boston area, according to the SJC’s opinion filed Tuesday.
