Five People Charged With Forcing 14 Mexican Nationals To Work On Farms
MILWAUKEE, Wis. (CBS Local) -- Five people who allegedly forced 14 Mexican nationals to work on farms in Wisconsin have been indicted, federal prosecutors said.
The five people trafficked 14 men from Georgia to Wisconsin in 2016 and threatened the victims, making them believe that they would suffer serious harm if they didn't work, according to officials.
The indictment also alleges the five took the victims' passports to restrict their travel, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.
"Trafficking another human being is a particularly vile crime," said U.S. Attorney Krueger. "The Department of Justice is committed to prosecuting anyone who seeks to sell another person's freedom."
Five People Charged with Forced Labor Conspiracy Involving Trafficking
— US Attorney EDWI (@EDWInews) May 22, 2019
of Victims from Georgia to Work on Wisconsin Farmshttps://t.co/orqf79G30p
The five were indicted in the Eastern District of Wisconsin on conspiracy to commit forced labor, labor trafficking, and five additional labor-related offenses.
Saul Garcia, 49; Saul Garcia Jr., 26; Daniel Garcia, 28; Consuelo Garcia, 45; and Maria Remedios Garcia-Olalde, 52, face up to 20 years in prison if convicted. All are from Moultrie, Georgia, except for Garcia-Olalde, who is a Mexican national.
The charges followed a multi-year human trafficking investigation by several law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, Homeland Security and the Racine Police Department, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.