A Texas couple, Mohamed Toure, 58, and Denise Cros-Toure, 58, of Southlake, Texas, was sentenced to seven years in prison each for their role in a forced labor scheme that exploited a young girl from Guinea.
The victims, a 16-year-old girl who was brought to the United States in early 2000, was forced to cook, clean, and take care of the defendants’ biological children without pay for 16 years. The defendants, members of wealthy and powerful Guinean families, subjected the victim to physical, emotional, and verbal abuse, including hitting her with an electrical cord and forcing her to sleep in a nearby park as punishment.
Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband stated that the defendants ‘stole her childhood and her labor for years, enriching themselves while leaving her with pain and an uncertain future.’
U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox added that the case highlights the difficulty in prosecuting human trafficking crimes, often due to victims being afraid to speak out. ‘It took tremendous courage for this young woman to share her story at trial,’ Cox said.
The U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Houston Field Office investigated the case, which was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Rebekah Bailey and Special Litigation Counsel William Nolan. The defendants were ordered to pay $288,620.24 in restitution.
The case serves as a reminder that the Department of Justice will continue to investigate and prosecute human traffickers and vindicate the rights of their victims. The defendants, who are citizens of Guinea and lawful permanent residents of the United States, may lose their U.S. immigration status and be removed to Guinea pursuant to law.
According to the evidence presented at trial, the defendants physically, emotionally, and verbally punished the victim when she disobeyed or failed to perform the required labor to their satisfaction. The defendants called the victim a ‘dog,’ ‘slave,’ and ‘worthless’ and repeatedly hit her on multiple occasions, including with an electrical cord.
The victim was isolated from her family and society and prevented from receiving any education, while the defendants’ own children attended school and college. The defendants forced the victim to sleep alone in a nearby park as punishment, shaved her head, and washed her outside with a hose, leaving her completely dependent on them for everything.
The case highlights the need for witnesses to speak up and for the community to remain alert to the signs of human trafficking. If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, please contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
Mandatory Facts:
- Defendant/Respondent: Mohamed Toure, Denise Cros-Toure
- Criminal Charges: Forced Labor, Conspiracy to Commit Alien Harboring, Alien Harboring
- City and State: Southlake, Texas
- Exact Date: January 11, 2023
- Sentence or Outcome: Seven years in prison each, $288,620.24 in restitution
- Dollar Amounts: $288,620.24
Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Human Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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