Gamos Family members found guilty in Rainbow Bright human trafficking case

SACRAMENTO (CBS SF) -- Three members of the Gamos Family were convicted of human trafficking and labor-related charges Tuesday in a case stemming from the Rainbow Bright adult residential and child care facilities in the Bay Area.

Attorney General Rob Bonta announced the guilty verdicts for 46-year-old Joshua Gamos, 44-year-old Noel Gamos and 70-year-old Carlina Gamos.

The crimes were committed over the course of a decade from 2008 to 2018 while the family operating Rainbow Bright, an adult residential and child care company. 

Prosecutors said the family targeted the Filipino community, many of whom were recent immigrants to the United States, for human trafficking and labor exploitation. The defendants trafficked many of the victims using threats of arrest and deportation, false promises to assist with immigration and some passports were confiscated. 

"Today, we held the Gamos family accountable for their despicable crimes," Bonta said in a news release. "This organized criminal enterprise targeted vulnerable people looking for work opportunities, and exploited and abused workers in a horrific trafficking scheme. Let me be clear: This behavior will never be tolerated in California."

The evidence revealed that Rainbow Bright employees were required to live and work in care homes and day care for hours far exceeding a normal work day, and forced to sleep on floors and in garages. Some employees reported being locked outside when defendants were not home.

The jury found that the defendants also took in over $500,000 in the commission of the scheme. Sentencing was scheduled for August 19 at 8:30 a.m. at San Mateo County Superior Court.

 Each of the following defendants were found guilty:  

• Joshua  was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit human trafficking and grand theft of labor, one count of human trafficking, 16 counts of grand theft of labor, one count of workers' compensation fraud, nine counts of failure to file unemployment tax returns, and nine counts of failure to collect or pay unemployment insurance taxes.
• Noel was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit human trafficking and grand theft of labor, one count of human trafficking, 16 counts of grand theft of labor, nine counts of failure to file unemployment insurance tax returns and nine counts of failure to collect or pay unemployment insurance taxes.
• Carlina was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit human trafficking and grand theft of labor, two counts of human trafficking, 17 counts of grand theft of labor, nine counts of failure to file unemployment insurance tax returns, and nine counts of failure to collect or pay unemployment insurance taxes.