Daniel Brown, Labor Trafficking, Ohio 2012

ASHLAND, OHIO - Labor Trafficking Charges Land Ashland Man 5 Years in Prison

An Ashland, Ohio, man has been sentenced to five years in prison for his role in forcing a woman with cognitive disabilities and her child to perform manual labor against their will.

The victim, identified as S.E., was held captive by Daniel J. Brown, 34, and his co-conspirators, Jordie L. Callahan, Jessica L. Hunt, and Dezerah L. Silsby, from 2010 through 2012. During this period, Brown and his accomplices subjected S.E. and her child, B.E., to a regime of violence, threats, sexual assaults, humiliation, deprivation, and monitoring.

The court documents revealed that the group used a combination of tactics to control the victims, including beating S.E., threatening beatings to both S.E. and B.E., taunting and threatening them with pit bulls and snakes, and forcing S.E. to eat dog food and crawl on the floor while wearing a dog collar.

The case has been a disturbing example of the worst forms of human trafficking. According to Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, 'The conduct laid out in this case is almost incomprehensible.' The FBI's Cleveland office also condemned the actions of Brown and his accomplices, stating that 'The manner in which this young lady and her small child were treated during two years of involuntary servitude is beyond disturbing.'

Brown pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy and has been sentenced to five years in prison. His co-conspirators, Callahan and Hunt, are scheduled to be sentenced in July, while Silsby is set to be sentenced later this month.

The case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chelsea Rice and Thomas E. Getz, following an investigation by the FBI and the Ashland Police Department, with assistance from the Ashland County Prosecutor's Office.

The outcome of this case serves as a reminder of the importance of prosecuting human trafficking cases to the fullest extent of the law.

Mandatory Facts:

Defendant: Daniel J. Brown

Criminal Charges: One count of conspiracy

City and State: Ashland, Ohio

Exact Date: 2010-2012 (investigation period)

Sentence or Outcome: 5 years in prison

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndoh/pr/ashland-man-sentenced-five-years-prison-labor-trafficking