Raylaine Knope, Forced Labor & Civil Rights Abuse, Louisiana 2023

A disturbing case of forced labor and civil rights abuse has come to light in Louisiana, with a married couple facing severe consequences. Raylaine Knope, 42, and Terry J. Knope II, 45, pleaded guilty to conspiring to obtain forced, unpaid household labor and services from an adult woman with cognitive disabilities, identified as "D.P.".

The abuse, which took place in Amite, Louisiana, between August 13, 2015, and June 30, 2016, involved physical restraint, threats, and verbal and psychological abuse designed to ensure the victim's continued compliance. The defendants forced D.P. to live in a locked backyard cage and to perform housework and yard work for food and water. They also subjected her to routine physical abuse, including being burned with a cigarette lighter and forced to eat her deceased mother's ashes.

Raylaine Knope pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to obtain forced, unpaid household labor and services, one count of forced labor, and one count of misprision of a felony. Terry J. Knope II pleaded guilty to one count of violating D.P.'s federal Fair Housing Act rights, one count of a hate crime, and one count of misprision of a felony.

Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband stated, "The Knopes conspired to brutally coerce a vulnerable victim with disabilities to work long hours in despicable conditions with no monetary compensation." U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser added, "Today's guilty pleas highlight that the U.S. Attorney's Office will continue to work with the FBI and local law enforcement partners to pursue human traffickers and to seek justice on behalf of vulnerable victims."

The defendants will be sentenced on August 22 and face a maximum sentence of 28 years in prison. The case was investigated by the FBI's Field Office in New Orleans, Louisiana, the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office, and the Tangipahoa District Attorney's Office.

This case serves as a stark reminder of the horrors of human trafficking and the importance of holding perpetrators accountable. The victim, D.P., endured unimaginable suffering at the hands of those who were supposed to care for her. The guilty pleas of Raylaine Knope and Terry J. Knope II bring a measure of justice, but the true victims will never be able to fully heal from the trauma inflicted upon them.

Defendant: Raylaine Knope and Terry J. Knope II

Criminal Charges: Conspiring to obtain forced, unpaid household labor and services, forced labor, misprision of a felony, violating federal Fair Housing Act rights, hate crime

City and State: Amite, Louisiana

Exact Date: August 13, 2015 - June 30, 2016

Sentence or Outcome: Maximum sentence of 28 years in prison

Defendant's Address: Amite, Louisiana

Source: https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/louisiana-couple-pleads-guilty-criminal-civil-rights-charges-abusing-woman-disabilities