Three US Men Plead Guilty To Luring 600 Thai Farm Workers To US Farms

[mesohappy]

I've noticed on forums like this that the layman usually comes up with the harshest punishment imaginable for most crimes. It actually makes me glad that that there are lawmakers, judges, etc. who see the right path and come up with fairer sentences.

I don't think the average person has a concept of what even a day in prison is like. We're talking about regular people who aren't hardened ending up sobbing like a little girl after day one. Most criminals go into jail as dangerous people and come out worse. And, that's not even touching on the "Bubba" effect, know what I mean?

I think if somebody gets 3, 4, or 5 years in one of these places they can easily come out very wrecked. And, don't forget that many of these people can't get work after leaving prison and they end up right back in there.

It's a pretty nasty thing to get sentenced like that, nasty enough that many people feel that it should be different b/c the harshness of it doesn't seem to do anybody any good, only harm.

Think about it.

+1.

Having both worked in U.S. jails, and had loved ones incarcerated, I can say you are absolutely right. Sadly you will not likely find rational debate on this subject in a forum such as this. It's known that after about the 10 year mark people are usually not able to return to a functional, normal life again. People tend to only focus on the "punishment" wishing suffering on the prisoner with no thought about what is to come of them after they are released. Education of prisoners seems abhorrent to many. Very short term thinking.

Interesting to hear it from the horse's mouth as it were. Let's hope the guys who did this don't come out of prison as even worse criminals.

No doubt jails, state prisons and Federal Penitentiaries are generally horrific places to be but it is almost certain that these people are going to a minimum security federal prison 'camp' where they can receive graduate degrees in much shorter time than on the outside while also not paying for the education. They will receive well well balanced meals and live better than many people in the US including likely having access to such things as cable TV and tennis courts not to mention gyms. Lets not forget these folks also appear to be able to keep the millions upon millions of dollars they made off of forcing these folks into slavery.

I believe there needs to be serious prison reform in the US as well as curbing the number of people sentenced to time BUT this sentence is ridiculous and incredibly unfair to people being sentenced to much longer sentences for doing much less harm. The ring leader got convicted of forced labor as if he did this to one person and not 600. In another words under Federal Sentencing guidelines somebody who committed forced labor on 1 person will receive this same sentence. But again, the real joke is the lack of restitution to the victims and the state and letting these scum keep their illegal profits which I doubt they paid any tax on either.

Millions upon millions for 600 farm workers? I need to figure out the strategy of that farm.

[mesohappy]

No doubt jails, state prisons and Federal Penitentiaries are generally horrific places to be but it is almost certain that these people are going to a minimum security federal prison 'camp' where they can receive graduate degrees in much shorter time than on the outside while also not paying for the education. They will receive well well balanced meals and live better than many people in the US including likely having access to such things as cable TV and tennis courts not to mention gyms. Lets not forget these folks also appear to be able to keep the millions upon millions of dollars they made off of forcing these folks into slavery.

I believe there needs to be serious prison reform in the US as well as curbing the number of people sentenced to time BUT this sentence is ridiculous and incredibly unfair to people being sentenced to much longer sentences for doing much less harm. The ring leader got convicted of forced labor as if he did this to one person and not 600. In another words under Federal Sentencing guidelines somebody who committed forced labor on 1 person will receive this same sentence. But again, the real joke is the lack of restitution to the victims and the state and letting these scum keep their illegal profits which I doubt they paid any tax on either.

Definitely valid points all if these guys essentially get sent to a fenced in country club. But, has it been stated anywhere where they are being jailed?

Based on numerous factors it is pretty much a guarantee they will NOT do time in a Federal Penitentiary (max. security) and will serve their sentence out in a minimum security (called a camp) facility with white collar criminals. The minimum security facilities don't even have cells, it is dormitory style living and they can pretty much walk away (escape) any time they want. They also will have about 15% of their sentence reduced for good time. Keep in mind this is The Federal Prison system and they don't have jails. They only have what they term Detention Facilities (bad places) where you are held before sentencing and then basically 4 levels of the Prison System .. minimum, low, medium and high security.

The way they determine where you are housed is based on a point system .. example, if you don't have a High School Diploma it adds 2 points and if your offense is minor you get 0 points but depending on the severity of the crime it could add up to 7 points while not having a criminal past will give you 0 points but having an extensive criminal past can get you 10 points. To be sentenced to a a camp you simply need to be below 11 points. Oh, and they even consider things like age .. somebody under 25 gets 6 points while somebody over 55 gets 0 points.

In other words, they try to keep the worst prisons reserved for the poor minorities who are young and lack an education and often stopped by the police and cannot afford a lawyer to take what should be at least 600 charges of abuse and get it down to basically 1 white collar crime when all is said and done.

Nisa, I love you but you're talking out of your arse.

Edited June 18, 2011 by mesohappy

[Nisa]

Based on numerous factors it is pretty much a guarantee they will NOT do time in a Federal Penitentiary (max. security) and will serve their sentence out in a minimum security (called a camp) facility with white collar criminals. The minimum security facilities don't even have cells, it is dormitory style living and they can pretty much walk away (escape) any time they want. They also will have about 15% of their sentence reduced for good time. Keep in mind this is The Federal Prison system and they don't have jails. They only have what they term Detention Facilities (bad places) where you are held before sentencing and then basically 4 levels of the Prison System .. minimum, low, medium and high security.

The way they determine where you are housed is based on a point system .. example, if you don't have a High School Diploma it adds 2 points and if your offense is minor you get 0 points but depending on the severity of the crime it could add up to 7 points while not having a criminal past will give you 0 points but having an extensive criminal past can get you 10 points. To be sentenced to a a camp you simply need to be below 11 points. Oh, and they even consider things like age .. somebody under 25 gets 6 points while somebody over 55 gets 0 points.

In other words, they try to keep the worst prisons reserved for the poor minorities who are young and lack an education and often stopped by the police and cannot afford a lawyer to take what should be at least 600 charges of abuse and get it down to basically 1 white collar crime when all is said and done.

Nisa, I love you but you're talking out of your arse.

Please elaborate your thoughts as I am talking about facts in Federal Sentencing Guidelines .. not sure how I could be talking out of my arse.

[Nisa]

Millions upon millions for 600 farm workers? I need to figure out the strategy of that farm.

Not only did this occur over a 6-year period where workers were forced to work for nothing or very little but they were also required to pay to come to the US as well as pay for daily housing and food provided by their masters who also where able to gain liens on many of their family homes in Thailand. The workers made no money and ended up owing .. they were slaves working off debt.

Simply calculating a working making $7.50 (minimum wage Hawaii) an hour and working 40-hours a week (no overtime) would equal $15,080 or $90,480 over 6 years. Multiply this by just 100 workers and this equals approx. $9,048,000. But this only considers 100 workers and calculates in no overtime (1.5 x $7.50 rate) which we know they were forced to work. Nor does it calculate in the taxes the company(s) likely avoided paying on these 600 workers. Not to mention the money the workers were forced to pay or the profits they made charging them for their daily living expenses.

Edited June 18, 2011 by Nisa

[Nisa]

After reading some other news stories about this case it appears these guys also face a $250,000 fine as well as restitution to the 600 victims. Originally some were charged with crimes that could result in 135 year sentences but were able to work a deal to plead to these single charges.

[pogal]

With it being so hard to get a dam_n Visa for most Thais to go to the USA, it amazes me these people were able to get 600 Thais over there to exploit. I don't even think a farming company in Texas, Arizona or California could work this out for Mexican workers just across the border.

THERE ARE ALWAYS LOOP HOLES THE CRIMINALS HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE TO EXPLOIT .

I think 4 and 5 years is a low term for such a crime .

Too right! Nice to see CNN owning up to Americas part in world slavery "Freedom Project" http://thecnnfreedomproject.blogs.cnn.com/

Pity they don't follow through with harsher punishments.

[Thongkorn]

I think they should be sentanced to work on aThai farm, for 20 years that would teach them how to farm for real.

[Spee]

Let's not forget that these people pretty much have free reign to operate throughout Thailand. All of this trafficking is done with tacit approval of local mafiosi and authorities. Solving the problem at the source is almost always better than trying to solve it in the courts.

Let's also not forget that as bad as this case is, it is minute in comparison to trafficking in other areas of the world, including Asia and the Middle East, where people are abused mentally and physically in addition to financially.

[curious297]

Is there no consistency between countries and human trafficking cases?

Thiavisa presented us this 2 year old case Philippines jails two Swedes for human trafficking and yet, as seen here today, 600 Thais exploited by human traffickers in the U.S. and they get a maximum of 5 years.

The main reason the Swedes got 40 years and were fined 2 million pesos (46,000 usd) was the Philippines using this case as a statement to America that they are reacting to HT cases so the US would take them off the HT watch list.

"The Philippines is ranked under Tier 2 Watch List in the 2009 Trafficking in Persons Report of the United States (US) State Department due to the Philippine government’s alleged failure to show evidence of progress in convicting trafficking offenders, particularly those responsible for labor "

Check out Human trafficking in the Philippines and then try to find out how many HT cases have gone to sentencing in the Philippines - almost none.

The Swedes hired these 17 girls (almost all prostitutes and ALL over 18 years of age) paying them a very decent salary of 15,000 pesos (US$350) a month + commission to work in a webcam studio, saving them from being beaten / raped and offering a safe working environment. Work which is considered legal and acceptable in the USA, Europe and most every country around the world. Some of these girls earnt 25-30K, more than most filipino white collar workers. These girls travelled by themselves to the studio, were not escorted, forced or threatened in any way. What the reports fail to say is, the women had their own apartments and were picked up for work and dropped back home every day, they were free to come and go as they pleased. Had money enough to send back home, party at the clubs at the weekend and have expensive hair do's at the local salon.

These Americans forced the Thais to work, paid impossibly meagre salaries, confiscated passports, threatened them and they get maximum 5 years and no fine!!

Perhaps the States needs to review their HT laws don't you think?

[TeddyFlyfisherDavis]

They were sentenced to 5 years...? Heck. they will be out in 3 1/2 to 4 years for "good behavior"....Would have been easier and cheaper to get Latinos...Oh wait...I forgot...We just let THEM come over the border on there own...What was I thinking...?

Edited June 20, 2011 by TeddyFlyfisherDavis