In 2004, Juan and Ellilian Ramos paid $250 for Guatemalan cousins Maria de Jesus Batres and Floridalma Sales Flores to come to the U.S. work as maids or cooks and send money back to their families. Ramos told the victims that after they had paid off their $250 debt, they would be paid $125 a week. The victims were given insufficient food and water, few breaks from work, and basically no pay. The women worked up to 21-hour days, either in the Ramos' home or an adult daycare center run by Ramos' sister, where they persuaded elderly men to live in the facility. The victims faced sexual harassment, battery, emotional, and physical abuse. They were threatened by the traffickers with threats to report the women to immigration authorities or the police.
Location
United States · Hidalgo County, Texas · 2008
(location generalized to protect survivors) Response & intervention
On October 14, 2005 police arrested the Romos couple. Juan Carlos was acquitted of all charges, and a jury convicted Ellilian of one count of human trafficking. She was sentenced to four year probation, 60 days of jail time, and a $12,000 fine.
A sympathetic employee at the center helped the victims escape on January 11, 2005.
Following their escape, the victims sought help at La Union del Pueblo Entero (LUPE), who brought the women to the police. In 2005, the victims attempted to file a lawsuit against the Ramos', however it has been delayed because the defendants' whereabouts is unknown.
Documented on the original SlaveryMap (2008–2016). We don't have a verifiable source on file yet — use “Report a problem” below to add one.