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Chester County man charged for allegedly forcing 2 teen immigrants to work on mushroom farm for little pay
['Kristin Hunt', 'Phillyvoice Staff']
PhillyVoice
A Chester County man who sponsored young immigrants' entry into the United States allegedly forced them to work long days with little to no pay and used their immigration status to threaten them, federal prosecutors said Monday.
Ramiro Caal Jolomna allegedly compelled two teen girls to work "grueling" days on a mushroom farm to pay off their "debts" to him for facilitating their entry into the country.
Prosecutors allege Jolomna kept the girls out of school and signed them up for 16-hour shifts, seven days a week.
A 17-year-old from Guatemala faced "similar conditions," prosecutors said, and pocketed little money to send home to her sick father.
Immigration sponsors typically assume financial responsibility for immigrants until they become citizens, accrue sufficient work hours or leave the country.
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