Two residents from South Texas were sentenced on June 24 after admitting to forcing undocumented immigrants to work at a fireworks stand without pay and serve as a nanny, profiting from forced labor.
Eduardo Javier Gomez, 32, and his former partner Margarita Alvarez, 40, both from Edinburg, Texas, were found guilty of coercing a woman to work without pay during the period between June 24, 2021, and July 8. Her family attempted to illegally smuggle her into the country.
US prosecutor Alamdar Hamdani announced on Monday that Gomez was sentenced to 70 months in prison, while Alvarez received a two-year probation.
“Labor traffickers care only about one thing – money,” Hamdani stated. “Those forced into domestic labor are deprived of dignity and freedom. Fortunately, thanks to the efforts of law enforcement, this victim was rescued quickly. Now, this couple will pay the price for their despicable crimes, and we can bring some comfort to the victim.”
The couple admitted on March 1, 2023, to charges of benefiting from forced labor.
The victim attempted to illegally enter the U.S. from Mexico. The New York City Police Department first learned of the plan after the victim’s sister made contact, with the victim’s family paying $4,500 to smugglers to bring her into the US.
The US Attorney’s Office stated that “Gomez detained her against her will” and “demanded further payment from the family in exchange for relocating the victim to a more northern location.”
According to prosecutors, when the family refused to pay, the couple took away the victim’s phone, forcing her to work as a maid and nanny in the house to repay the debt.
Two days after learning of the failed smuggling plot, authorities located and rescued the woman.
Gomez has been in detention since his arrest and will remain detained until being transferred to a Bureau of Prisons facility, which will be determined in the near future.
Since March 2022, Texas Governor Greg Abbott has taken a series of actions to combat the influx of illegal immigrants, including deploying state troopers to the 1,200-mile Texas-Mexico border to apprehend those crossing the Rio Grande River.
In May, Abbott strengthened the state’s border security measures by deploying hundreds of Texas National Guard soldiers, joining the ranks of the thousands already participating in Operation Lone Star.