Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today the arrest of TONG HYON SUH, a/k/a “Jason Suh.” SUH is charged with communicating online with an individual he believed to be a 14-year-old girl and attempting to meet the girl to engage in sexual activities and record the activities. SUH was presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew E. Krause in White Plains federal court and detained.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Suh’s behavior is the nightmare of every parent. He attempted to exploit the most vulnerable in our society. This case underlines the urgent need for law enforcement to continue its efforts to protect children from those who prey on them.”
According to the allegations in the Complaint[1] filed yesterday in White Plains federal court:
Beginning on April 24, 2022, a detective with the Greenwich Police Department (“Detective-1”), who was posing as a 14-year-old girl named “Megan,” communicated via the social platform, Kik, with TONG HYON SUH, a/k/a “Jason Suh.” During the communications, SUH, who was using the Kik user name “suhjason,” identified himself as a 45-year-old Korean male living in New York City and indicated that he wanted to meet with “Megan” for the purpose of having sex. Detective-1 told SUH that she was a 14-year-old female from Connecticut. During the communications, SUH sent various photos of himself showing his face.
During their communications, which occurred from April 24, 2022 to May 27, 2022, among other things, SUH told Detective-1 that he “find[s] the age gap hot tbh” and “tbh on the down low I want a young submissive sl*t.” SUH requested pictures from “Megan.” For example, he told her, “So sneak in a bathroom break pic. I love a good sl*t.”
On April 26, 2022, SUH discussed meeting in person. He asked “Megan” for some “sl*tty pics” that she could “delete after taking.” During the communications, SUH referenced other teenage girls with whom he had engaged in sexual activity. On or about May 2, 2022, SUH told “Megan” that he wanted to film them engaging in sexual acts and he continued to request pictures.
On or about May 20, 2022, an FBI Special Agent acting in an undercover capacity as “Megan,” spoke to SUH by phone. During the call, SUH identified himself as “Daddy” and “Jason.” SUH stated that he was born in 1977, is a New York attorney with an office in the Bronx, and has been a lawyer since he was 26 years old.
SUH and “Megan” spoke again on May 24, 2022. SUH and “Megan” discussed meeting and SUH said he would rent a residence and take the train to Greenwich, Connecticut. He said that he would use a ride service to pick “Megan” up at her house, and then they would travel together to the rented residence, where they would engage in sexual activity and smoke marihuana. During the conversation, “Megan” requested that SUH bring condoms, lollipops and marijuana, and wear a suit. “Megan” gave SUH an address in Greenwich, Connecticut and told him that she lived in an apartment located at that address.
After the May 24, 2022 phone call, SUH told “Megan” that they should meet on Friday, May 27, 2022. SUH said that he and “Megan” would use a ride service to go to the residence he rented in Stamford, Connecticut.
A public database for New York attorney registration information indicates that a “TONG-HYON SUH” is registered as an active attorney in New York with a business address in the Bronx. Additionally, the database indicates that “TONG-HYON SUH” was admitted to the New York bar on or about November 19, 2003.
On May 27, 2022, at approximately 3:31 p.m., TONG HYON SUH, a/k/a “Jason Suh,” arrived at the Metro North train station in Greenwich, Connecticut on a northbound Metro North train after passing through Westchester County. SUH was wearing a suit and carrying a black briefcase and a red and white shopping bag. Law enforcement observed SUH enter the rear passenger seat of a black Toyota Highlander and depart the train station.
At approximately 3:50 p.m., TONG HYON SUH, a/k/a “Jason Suh,” the defendant, arrived at the address provided by “Megan.” When SUH entered the building located at that address, detectives with the Greenwich Police Department arrested him. After SUH’s arrest, the defectives retrieved a black briefcase and a red and white shopping bag from the vehicle in which SUH was riding. An inventory search of the briefcase and bag revealed that they contained, among other things, a laptop computer, a thumb drive, sneakers, matches, marijuana, toiletries, clothing, an unopened package of lollipops, and six condoms.
Following his arrest, TONG HYON SUH, a/k/a “Jason Suh,” was charged in Stamford Superior Court.
There may be other victims of this alleged conduct. If you have information to report, contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-800-CALL-FBI
* * *
SUH, 45 of Bronx, New York, is charged with one count of attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, which carries a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, and one count of attempted enticement of a minor, which carries a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The statutory minimum and maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Following today’s presentment, Judge Krause ordered that SUH be detained.
Mr. Williams praised the efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Connecticut State’s Attorneys Office, Greenwich Police Department, and the Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force, which is comprised of special agents and task force officers from the FBI, U.S. Probation, New York State Police, New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, Westchester County DAs Office, Rockland County DAs Office, NYPD, Westchester County PD, and the Yonkers, New Rochelle, Mount Vernon, Greenburgh, White Plains, Peekskill, Ramapo, and Clarkstown Police Department. He added that the investigation is ongoing.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer N. Ong and Marcia S. Cohen are in charge of the prosecution.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.