MODERN DAY SLAVERY BROTHERS GUILTY

The Coalition of Immokalee Farmworker's was instrumental in assisting victim's of the Modern Day Slavery Case. This goes to show that the CIW has and will continue to work towards helping those in need, and the thus the Honor of being presented the Anti-Slavery Award by Anti-Slavery International continues to resonate throughout the growing fields and country.

The CIW is a founding member of the national Freedom Network USA to Empower Victims of Slavery and Trafficking. As a regional coordinator for the Freedom Network Training Institute on Human Trafficking, we train state and federal law enforcement and social services personnel throughout the Southeastern US on how to recognize and assist enslaved people. The CIW's efforts have gained national recognition, including the National Organization for Women (NOW) 'Woman of Courage Award,' given to a CIW member in 2000. Most recently, the CIW was presented with the 2007 Anti-Slavery Award by Anti-Slavery International in London.

Reports on the CIW's efforts also appear in the following studies:

“Human Traffic, Human Rights: Redefining Victim Protection,” Anti-Slavery International/London, 2002

“Hidden Slaves: Forced Labor in the United States,” Free the Slaves and Human Rights Center, Berkeley, 2004

Brothers Plead Guilty to Enslaving Farmworkers in Florida, Co-Defendants Plead Guilty to Related Felonies


WASHINGTON, Sept. 3 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Cesar Navarrete,
Geovanni Navarrete, Villhina Navarrete, Ismael Michael Navarrete and
Antonio Zuniga Vargas pleaded guilty to charges relating to a scheme to
enslave Mexican and Guatemalan nationals and compel their labor as
farmworkers, the Justice Department announced today.

All five defendants pleaded guilty to harboring undocumented foreign
nationals for private financial gain and identity theft. In addition, Cesar
and Geovanni Navarrete pleaded guilty to beating, threatening, restraining
and locking workers in trucks to force them to work for them as
agricultural laborers. Cesar Navarrete also pleaded guilty to re-entering
the U.S. after being convicted of a felony and deported, and Ismael
Navarrete also pleaded guilty to document fraud. Cesar and Geovanni
Navarrete face up to 35 and 25 years in prison, respectively. The other
defendants face a range of 10-25 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled
for various dates in September and December 2008.

The defendants were accused of paying the workers minimal wages,
driving them into debt, while simultaneously threatening physical harm if
the workers left their employment before their debts had been repaid to the
family.

Previously, co-defendant Jose Navarrete entered a guilty plea for
conspiracy to harbor and to harboring undocumented foreign nationals for
financial gain as well as possession of false documents, identity theft and
re-entry after being deported. Jose Navarrete faces up to 37 years in
prison.

"In this case, we are given yet another example of how human
trafficking of all kinds victimizes vulnerable human beings," said Grace
Chung Becker, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights
Division. "The Justice Department is committed to vigorously prosecuting
those who engage in this criminal conduct."

The prosecution of human trafficking offenses is a top priority of the
Justice Department. In the last seven fiscal years, the Civil Rights
Division, in conjunction with the U.S. Attorneys' Offices, has increased by
nearly seven-fold the number of human trafficking cases filed in court as
compared to the previous seven fiscal years. In fiscal year 2007, the
Department obtained a record number of convictions in human trafficking
prosecutions.

This case was investigated by agents from the Bureau of Immigration and
Customs Enforcement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and investigators
from the Collier County Sheriffs Department.

Victim assistance was provided by the Coalition of Immokalee Workers and the Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center. This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Susan French and Adriana Vieco of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division and Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney Doug Molloy of the Middle District of Florida.



SOURCE U.S. Department of Justice