A Pennsylvania man is facing felony human trafficking charges on allegations of forcing two girls to work on a mushroom farm to repay him for bringing them to the United States.
Along with the trafficking charges, the suspect, Ramiro Caal Jolomna, is facing counts of involuntary servitude and related offenses, Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday and the Pennsylvania State Police announced Monday in a statement.
According to Sunday, Jolomna allegedly charged the girls, ages 14 and 17, “debts” for bringing them into the country that they had to work off.
The attorney’s office said the 14-year-old was from Mexico and was brought to Pennsylvania by Jolomna, who allegedly forced her to work 16-hour shifts, seven days a week on the mushroom farm. Her paychecks, Sunday said, were then signed over to Jolomna and his unidentified wife.
The 17-year-old was from Guatemala, and was brought into the United States under a sponsorship. Sunday said she was subjected to similar conditions as the other girl. Her reason for wanting to come to the United States was to make money to provide for her sick father and other family back home, Sunday said, but was left with few earnings after the majority was allegedly taken by Jolomna.
“This is a disturbing set of facts involving a man preying on vulnerable girls who wanted to make an honest living and help their families back home,” Sunday said in a statement.
“Labor trafficking, while not as often in headlines is cruel and dehumanizing behavior that forces victims into a routine of helplessness and silence.”
Jolomna has been arraigned and his bail was set at $1 million.
