orem, utah, United States

Jose Hernan Moreno-Sevilla and Alejandro M. Meza prosecutors say Jose Hernan Moreno-Sevilla and Alejandro M. Meza were paid to help a Peruvian man and others obtain illegal visas. The Peruvian man and at least two others were "loaded into a rented truck" in Arizona and brought to Orem to work for Hernan's construction company, court papers show. Each worker reportedly paid more than $10,000 for the move. While living with Hernan, each man worked up to 14 hours daily, over a six day week, earning just $9,500 annually. According to court papers Hernan kept all but $1,000 in wages and told the men they owed him the funds to cover costs related to their "smuggling, housing and transporting." Sources: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705301763/Utah-to-crack-down-on-human-trafficking.html http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=2374359

Location

United States · orem, utah · 2007 (location generalized to protect survivors)

Response & intervention

Jose Hernan Moreno-Sevilla pleaded guilty to one count of forced labor. Federal prosecutors said that in an effort to keep his victim loyal and to keep him working, Moreno-Sevilla kept the man's passport and told him every yellow car on the street was an immigration officer. "In addition, the defendant encouraged (the victim) to join the Mormon church, as that would make it so he wouldn't stick out and be protected from discovery by immigration officials," Moreno-Sevilla's guilty plea said. "Because of these representations, (the victim) did not feel free to leave, but that he had to work for me until his smuggling fee was paid." Both men were charged with transporting and harboring illegal aliens. The charges carry penalties of at least five years in prison and fines authorities discovered the incident during a routine traffic stop.

Sources

Documented on the original SlaveryMap (2008–2016). Use “Report a problem” below to add a source or flag an issue.

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