Washington state couple pleads guilty to trafficking charges
Sun., Dec. 24, 2017
TACOMA, Wash. – A Washington state couple has pleaded guilty to labor trafficking charges.
Antonia Marcos Diego of Forks pleaded guilty this week in federal court. Her husband, Antonio Francisco-Pablo, pleaded guilty on Dec. 18 to one count of forced labor.
According to court records, the couple lured Diego’s sister to the U.S. from Guatemala, falsely promising they would provide her with a home and job.
Instead, the couple forced her to pay off debt and retained her earnings. They also charged her for food, housing, transportation and utilities.
The couple kept the woman’s identification documents and threatened her with deportation if she tried to leave.
Officials say the defendants recruited their family members with false promises and exploited them for their own greed.
Sentencing is set for March 23, 2018.
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