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Florida Woman Admits Racketeering Conspiracy
A Florida woman has pleaded guilty to a federal racketeering conspiracy that victimized Mexican agricultural workers admitted into the United States under the H-2A temporary visa program.
Christina Gamez, 43, pleaded guilty today to a federal racketeering conspiracy that forced H-2A workers to labor in physically demanding conditions for de minimis pay from March 2016 through August 2017, while working as a bookkeeper, manager, and supervisor for Los Villatoros Harvesting (LVH), a labor contracting company.
Gamez and her co-conspirators subjected the H-2A workers to forced labor, confiscating their passports, subjecting them to crowded, unsanitary, and degrading living conditions, isolating them, and limiting their ability to interact with anyone other than LVH employees. They also used debt manipulation to coerce thousands of hours of agricultural labor from the victimized workers.
As part of her plea agreement, Gamez has agreed to pay more than $9,000 in restitution to the victims. She faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated by the Palm Beach County Human Trafficking Task Force, with assistance from the Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General and the Department of State Diplomatic Security Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Murray for the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorneys Avner Shapiro, Maryam Zhuravitsky, and Matthew Thiman of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida made the announcement.
A date for Gamez’s sentencing hearing has not yet been set.
Gamez knowingly prepared and sent falsified records to federal investigators to conceal aspects of the criminal enterprise while working for LVH.
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Human Trafficking|White Collar Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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