Three Mexican citizens have been indicted on federal charges for allegedly running a human trafficking ring that lured agricultural workers from Mexico into forced labor on farms across Virginia, North Carolina, and Florida.
A 35-count indictment, unsealed Friday, alleges that Martha Zeferino Jose, 42; her son, Jeremy Zeferino Jose, 23; and her partner, Jose Rodriguez Munoz, used a farm labor contracting company to exploit the H-2A visa program for financial gain, according to the Department of Justice, or DOJ.
Federal prosecutors say the group recruited workers with promises of legitimate employment through their company, Las Princesas Corporation. Instead, the defendants allegedly charged the workers illegal recruitment fees, saddling them with debt before they even arrived in the U.S.
“These individuals have been indicted for luring vulnerable workers with promises of legitimate employment, only to then confiscate their identity documents and force them to labor in inhumane conditions,” Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division said.
According to court documents, once the workers arrived, the defendants seized their passports and visas to prevent them from leaving. The workers were then allegedly forced to labor for long hours without adequate breaks or access to water while being housed in “crowded, unsanitary” residences that lacked heat, air conditioning, and hot water.
The indictment further alleges the following:
- Climate of Fear: The defendants allegedly prohibited workers from leaving their residences alone or speaking to outsiders, threatening them with deportation if they complained.
- Visa Fraud: Martha Zeferino Jose allegedly submitted fraudulent applications to the government, falsely certifying that she would comply with labor laws she intended to ignore.
- Obstruction of Justice: When the Department of Labor began an investigation, the defendants allegedly returned confiscated documents just before investigators arrived and ordered workers to lie to federal agents.
U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle for the Eastern District of North Carolina vowed to “find and eradicate any illegal immigration” and abuse of the system within the district.
The defendants face multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit forced labor and alien harboring for financial gain. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of forced labor.
Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General investigated the case.
Hellbound and Down 