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Vishnubhai Chaudhari, 50, and Leelabahen Chaudhari, 44, of Kimball, Nebraska, Sentenced for Alien Harboring Scheme Involving Labor Exploitation at Nebraska Motel
A federal court in Omaha handed down a one-year and one-day prison sentence to Indian nationals Vishnubhai Chaudhari and Leelabahen Chaudhari for their roles in an alien harboring scheme involving labor exploitation at a Nebraska motel.
Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore of the Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Joe Kelly for the District of Nebraska, and Special Agent in Charge Tracy Cormier of ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) announced the sentencing.
The defendants, who pleaded guilty on Dec. 18, 2017, to alien harboring for financial gain and conspiracy to harbor an alien, were also ordered to pay $40,000 in restitution to the victim and face two years of supervised release following their prison term.
According to court documents, the defendants harbored an undocumented Indian national at a Super 8 Motel in Kimball between October 2011 and February 2013, forcing the victim to work long hours, seven days a week, without pay.
The victim, who was isolated and verbally abused by the defendants, eventually escaped with the help of a motel guest and local law enforcement.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Olimpia Michel and Shan Patel of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit, along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Frederick D. Franklin of the District of Nebraska.
The sentence sends a clear message that the government will use its full resources to prosecute defendants who violate immigration laws and exploit vulnerable individuals, said Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore.
Key Facts
- State: Nebraska
- Category: Human Trafficking|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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