Hearing for Former Farmington Businesswoman Delayed, Technology Fails

A hearing in the 11th Judicial District for 52 year old defendant Fu Shuping was halted on December 16 after the Mandarin interpretation and closed captioning systems malfunctioned, forcing Judge Curtis Gurley to reset the matter for January 20 at 11 a.m. The technology failure prevented the court interpreter from providing an accurate translation and led the judge to apologize for the confusion caused by the disruption.

Fu faces second degree felony charges of kidnapping and racketeering, third degree felony charges of human trafficking and extortion, and fourth degree felony charges of promoting prostitution in two counts and accepting earnings of a prostitute. The allegations arise from a massage business at 633 E. Main St. in Farmington. An arrest affidavit states that a woman from Ohio said she was brought to work at the parlor and forced to perform sexual favors for clients, and that she was not allowed to leave until she paid Fu.

Defense attorney Mark Curnutt told the court, "We are still conducting discovery," indicating the defense remains in the investigatory phase as prosecutors prepare the case. When the judge attempted to continue despite the technical problems, the Mandarin interpreter Hau Ying Rayka told the court, "The caption is not correct at all. It just says gibberish." When asked to proceed, the interpreter added, "I cannot interpret, your honor," prompting Judge Gurley to suspend the hearing and reconvene in January.

For San Juan County residents, the case underscores both public safety and procedural issues. Allegations of human trafficking at a local business raise community concern about exploitation and criminal enterprise, while the interpretation failure spotlights barriers non English speakers can face when accessing the judicial system. Court officials said technology problems are affecting courts statewide, a detail that will be watched closely as the case returns to Gurley’s courtroom.

No trial date was set at the December 16 proceeding. The case remains pending as both sides continue to prepare for the next scheduled hearing in January.