Sex Trafficking2008
United States US
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sanford C. Coats. Woods was sentenced on March 6, 2008 to serve 135 months in federal prison for sex trafficking of a minor by transporting a child under 18 years old from Oklahoma City to Amarillo, Texas, with the intent to engage in prostitution. Woods was ordered to serve 5 years of supervised release following his release from prison.
Forced Labor2002
United States US
John Pickle Company (owned by John Pickle Jr,), an Oklahoma-based oil industry parts manufacturer, recruited 52 Indian workers to work in the Tulsa factory, but were imprisoned, exploited, and abused. The skilled workers (high-tech welders, fitters, electricians, engineers, and cooks) were recruited through a travel agency located in Mumbai called AL Samit International, to which they paid a very expensive recruitment fee. The owner of the company John Pickle Jr. even flew to India to meet with and interview the workers. The foreign workers were promised that they would work under similar conditions as Americans, that they would receive free room and board, medical expenses and insurance paid, and that if their performance was satisfactory they would be hired permanently, they would obtain their green cards and they would be able to bring their families over from India. They traveled to the United States under the B1/B2 visa for “training,” with open dates. Upon arrival the men’s identification and immigration documents were confiscated by Mrs. Pickle. The workers lived in factory dormitories and were subjected to fraud and deceit, inadequate pay, sub-standard living conditions, false imprisonment, lockdowns with armed guard, phone tapping, food rationing, restrictions on freedom to worship, degrading job assignments, ethnic slurs, intimidation, and non-payment of wages earned. The victims were paid between $1.00 and $3.17 per hour while the other workers were paid $14.00 for the same work. The forced labor included janitorial work, replacing septic tanks, performing kitchen duties, and yard work for JPC officers. The company was charged due to the violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, and 42 U.S.C. Section 81, because the treatment was based on national origin of the foreign workers. In 2006 the company was accused by federal attorneys of hiding assets in avoidance of paying the $1.3 million verdict to the victims.
CSEC2011
United States US
Brandon W. Dennis, 25, Wichita, is charged with two counts of attempting to recruit teenagers to perform commercial sex acts. In one count, the victim is identified as “Jane Doe,” a 17-year-old Wichita girl. In the other case, the victim is identified as “Rissa,” a name used by a detective with the Wichita Police Department who was working undercover. A criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Wichita alleges that the 17-year-old victim met Dennis in the summer of 2011 at a party. She told him her age and they became friends on Facebook. On Oct. 23 and Oct. 24, 2011, she received several messages on Facebook from Dennis. He told her she could make up to $800 a day working as a prostitute. One message from Dennis read: “become a hoe n get paid n get rich.” When she declined his offer, he threatened her and sent her a message that said: “u jus nothing but a dog that needs the rite trainin n life.”