Officially, the sentence handed down to Shuangyan Yang was four years of probation. But that point felt moot as she appeared in a Duluth courtroom Friday.

The 49-year-old Hermantown woman, who admitted earlier this month to operating a sex trafficking ring out of three Northland massage parlors, almost certainly will face deportation.

"I'm told they will be here to take her today," defense attorney Craig Cascarano said of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials.

Yang pleaded guilty Dec. 2 to one felony count of racketeering, while her husband, 59-year-old Matthew Shykes, pleaded guilty to a felony count of failing to pay taxes. In plea agreements, prosecutors dismissed an additional count against each defendant for engaging in the sex trafficking of an individual.

The pair owned Shuangyan's Spa, 2521 Miller Trunk Highway, and Better Massage, 2304 Mountain Shadow Drive in Duluth, as well as Superior Soothing Massage, 1225 Tower Ave., Superior. They were charged in March after an 18-month investigation by the Duluth Police Department's sex crimes unit and other agencies.

The charges alleged that Yang and Shykes recruited women from California through an agency or through friends to provide sexual services to clients at the massage parlors. A search warrant was executed March 21 and resulted in five arrests, police said, but three people were released after being determined to be "employee victims."

Yang admitted at her plea hearing that she knew employees of the three massage parlors were providing sexual services to patrons in exchange for money. Yang also admitted that she and Shykes took money from their employees, some of whom were living at the couple's Hermantown townhouse, in exchange for allowing the employees to use the massage parlor for sexual service. The couple either deposited the money into their own bank account or kept the cash.

During a search of the couple's home in March, police recovered about $25,000 in U.S. currency, as well as Chinese currency.

Yang, who has remained in custody, appeared for sentencing Friday before 6th Judicial District Judge David Johnson. She was accompanied at the defense table by Cate Qu, a certified Mandarin Chinese interpreter for the Minnesota Judicial Branch.

Cascarano and St. Louis County prosecutor Jon Holets simply urged the judge to adopt the recommended sentence — a three-year prison term stayed for four years of supervision — noting the looming immigration action would likely override the ruling anyway.

Asked by the judge if she wished to speak, Yang expressed confusion. "What can I say? What should I say?" she asked through Qu.

Johnson advised Yang that she could speak about the crime or the proposed sentence. Cascarano briefly huddled with Yang and Qu before the interpreter delivered her answer.

"No, I do not have anything to say," she told the court.

Shykes, who has been free on bond since the spring, attended the hearing. He is also expected to receive probation when sentenced Jan. 10 for failing to pay taxes on about $12,000 in income and failing to file his tax return on time.

At the conclusion of the hearing, Shykes requested an opportunity to hug his wife for a final time before she is likely removed from the country. A security official apologetically explained that policy prohibits physical contact with inmates as Yang was led from the courtroom.