Fil-Am couple jailed in Florida for exploiting Pinoy workers

WASHINGTON – A Filipino-American couple has been sentenced to a combined 129 months in prison for forcing 39 Filipino nationals to work against their will in country clubs and hotels in Southeast Florida, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office of Homeland Security Investigations said.

Federal prosecutors said Sophia Manuel and Alfonso Baldonado Jr., owners of Quality Staffing Services Corp., a labor contracting service, compelled the victims to work under threat of having them arrested and deported, knowing they faced serious economic harm and possible incarceration for nonpayment of debts in the Philippines.

Manuel was sentenced last Friday to 78 months in federal prison and Baldonado to 51 months in prison.

Manuel also was sentenced for making false statements on an application she filed with the US Department of Labor to obtain foreign labor certifications and visas under the federal H2B guest worker program.

Prosecutors said Manuel and Baldonado seized the passports of the workers upon arrival, forced them to stay in quarters provided and did not allow them to leave without an escort.

“These deplorable conditions will not be tolerated in this country and ICE will continue its commitment to rescue victims of this form of modern day slavery and arrest the traffickers that exploit them,” said ICE Director John Morton.