SEATTLE – A brutal human trafficking ring operating in Washington State has met its match with a tough justice served. Miguel Arcufe-Flores, 42, Angel Sandoval Mondragon, 37, and Marbella Sandoval Mondragon, 38, have been sentenced to substantial prison terms for their heinous crimes against a teenage girl.
The trio, living in Aberdeen and Federal Way without legal status, were today sentenced by U.S. District Judge James L. Robart. Arcufe-Flores was handed 40 months, Sandoval Mondragon received 36 months, and Marbella Mondragon got 34 months. All are expected to be deported after serving their sentences.
“The defendants promised the world, and then stole the childhood of a 14-year-old girl,” stated U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes. “They preyed on a vulnerable relative for their own selfish and depraved reasons.”
The horror began in December 2004 when Angel Sandoval Mondragon convinced his 14-year-old niece to follow him from Mexico. He and his family, including sister Marbella and her husband Arcufe-Flores, had been living illicitly in Washington. The girl was promised a better life but was instead forced into labor to pay off the cost of her transport.
Angel Sandoval Mondragon obtained false documents for the teen, who worked at low-wage jobs in Seattle, like Plush Pippin and Seattle Gourmet Food. She gave all earnings to the defendants, enduring sexual molestation and threats. Denials of food and medical care added to her suffering.
By May 2006, the girl was physically unable to work and returned to Mexico with her cousin, but not before being told she owed more money for her stay in the U.S. Marbella Sandoval Mondragon later coerced two younger brothers into joining the journey from Mexico.
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Key Facts
- State: Washington
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Human Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime|Sex Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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