Two Mexican Nationals Charged With Conspiracy to Provide and Obtain Forced Labor

Two Mexican nationals, who were working in the Homestead, Florida area and elsewhere, have been charged by indictment with participating in a conspiracy to provide and obtain forced labor.

Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Robert C. Hutchinson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), made the announcement.

Agustin Mendez-Vazquez, 43, and his son, Ever Mendez-Perez, 23, both originally of Mexico, were charged by indictment with one count of conspiracy to provide and obtain forced labor, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1594(b). Agustin Mendez-Vazquez was also charged with one count of providing and obtaining forced labor, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1589(a).  If convicted, Agustin Mendez-Vazquez faces a statutory maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years.  Ever Mendez-Perez faces a statutory maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.

According to court records, Agustin Mendez-Vazquez and Ever Mendez-Perez, who work as unlicensed labor subcontractors on tomato farms in the Homestead area, utilized physical force, threats of physical force, threats of deportation, and debt bondage to maintain control over other migrant workers.  Workers under the defendants’ control were beaten if they did not work every day; were subjected to harassment and abuse; and were required to relinquish large portions of their paychecks – sometimes their entire paychecks – to the Mendezes. The defendants are currently being held without bond pending trial.

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of ICE-HSI.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Widlanski. 

An indictment is only an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.