Missoula County Prosecutors Win Major Sex Trafficking Case

A Missoula County jury says a local woman is guilty of running what prosecutors called a "large-scale sex and labor trafficking ring", handing down the verdict today in Missoula.

Yanbin Bao was found guilty on four felony counts of sex trafficking and one felony count of labor trafficking, stemming from her ownership of Soul Message on Highway 93.

Authorities were alerted to the case when the victim called police to report she'd been physically assaulted by Bao and her husband. That was in May 2023, and started a detailed and complex investigation leading to the trial this week.

READ MORE: Prosecutors' Preparation for the Case

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What Were the Details of the Missoula County Sex Trafficking Case?

During the hearing, prosecutors described what they called the "deplorable conditions" at the parlor, with hidden condemns, lingerie, and other products, as well as a ledger of customers and transactions.

Missoula County Sheriff Detectives Travis Wafstet and Sean Evans identified three victims Bao had recruited and trafficked between April 26 and May 29, that year.

Deputy County Attorneys Andrea Haney and Katrina Thorness prosecuted the case.

Many Credited for the Conviction 

“This verdict is the culmination of the hard work and dedication of so many,” Haney said. “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.”

Haney tells me the case was "incredibly complex" and involved numerous partners in the investigation. That included 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.

Others involved in the case included the Bureau of Land Management, Deliverfund, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Hao Wang.

Bao will be sentenced this coming Tuesday.