BILLINGS - A couple who pleaded guilty to running a prostitution ring out of two massage parlors was sentenced Wednesday to 13 months each in prison after a federal judge rejected defense calls for leniency.

U.S. District Judge Richard Cebull in Billings said Gregory and Myong Suk "Suzie" McFarland would be subject to three years of supervised release once they are out of prison.

Their attorney had sought a sentence of home confinement, saying that the couple dutifully paid their taxes and treated employees fairly. The McFarlands ran an "immaculately clean" prostitution business, Vernon Woodward argued.

"So what?" Cebull replied. "Just because they were nice about it and paid their taxes and that sort of thing, they violated the law. ... It's a house of prostitution that accounted for those funds."

The couple pleaded guilty in August to interstate promotion of prostitution and money laundering. They will forfeit $1.2 million in profits under a plea agreement with prosecutors.

U.S. Attorney Michael Cotter said $83,000 of the forfeited funds have been awarded to Billings police. More money will be transferred to the department at a later date, Cotter said.