Jefferson Calimlim Sr., Forcing a Woman to Work as a Domestic Servant, Wisconsin 2006
Wisconsin Couple Sentenced for Forcing a Woman to Work as a Domestic Servant
A federal jury in Milwaukee, Wis., convicted Jefferson Calimlim Sr. and his wife Elnora Calimlim, both medical doctors, of using threats of serious harm and physical restraint against a Filipina to obtain her services, in violation of federal law.
The defendants, Jefferson Calimlim Sr. and Elnora Calimlim, were each sentenced to 72 months in prison for forcing a woman to work as their domestic servant and illegally harboring her for 19 years in their Brookfield, Wis., residence.
The victim, a Filipina woman, was recruited and brought to the U.S. in 1985 by the Calimlims when she was 19 years old. She was hidden in their home, forbidden from going outside, and told that she would be arrested, imprisoned, and deported if she was discovered.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Johnson and Trial Attorney Susan French of the Civil Rights Division's Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit. The case was jointly investigated by the Milwaukee Office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the FBI.
The victim testified that for 19 years she was forced to work as a domestic servant, and was denied her basic right to freedom. The Department of Justice is committed to prosecuting those who prey on vulnerable members of our society and hold them in modern-day slavery.
Human Trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery and is simply not acceptable. No person should ever be forced to live in fear, virtual isolation, and servitude.
The case was sentenced on December 12, 2007, after the Court of Appeals identified legal errors in the initial sentencing and remanded to the trial court for re-sentencing. The defendants were initially sentenced on November 16, 2006, to four-year prison terms each.
Defendant: Jefferson Calimlim Sr.
Criminal Charges: Using threats of serious harm and physical restraint against a Filipina to obtain her services, in violation of federal law, and harboring an illegal alien.
City and State: Milwaukee, Wis.
Exact Date: May 26, 2006.
Sentence or Outcome: 72 months in prison.
Key Facts
- State: Federal
- Category: Human Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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