Labor Trafficking: What It Is, and How You Should Defend Yourself If Charged in Pennsylvania
A substantial portion of the portrayals of “human trafficking” in popular culture tend to revolve around sex work, and these are the examples many people refer to when they hear the term “trafficking.” The truth is, though, that cheap labor is one of the most common motivations for human trafficking, and so labor trafficking is a charge we see often in Pennsylvania courts.
If you or a loved one has been charged with this offense, you need clarity. Just as importantly, you need a plan of action for your defense. Through this article and the advice we will provide when you call, we will deliver both clarity and a plan.
Call the LLF Law Firm Criminal Defense Team today at 888-535-3686 or contact us online.
Defining and Explaining Labor Trafficking
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) speaks of labor trafficking under the umbrella of human trafficking, and that is accurate. Some of the terms the DOJ uses in describing labor-specific trafficking are:
- Recruitment
- Harboring
- Transportation
- Force
- Fraud
- Coercion
- Involuntary servitude
- Debt bondage
- Slavery
These terms paint the picture of what someone charged with labor trafficking might be accused of. One publicized case involved Mexican nationals being smuggled from Mexico and forced to work indefinitely to pay down a “debt” that they did not understand, and was being used as the basis to exploit their labor.
This story highlights some of the specific forms of labor trafficking, which include:
- Keeping someone in debt bondage
- Forcing someone to work through the threat of violence, coercion, or other compulsory means
- Forced domestic servitude, which often involves women and children being forced to work in a domestic setting
- Child labor trafficking (allegations of which might result in accompanying charges like child abuse)
If an authority deems any work arrangement to be exploitative, forced, or coerced criminally, a charge of labor trafficking could arise.
How Likely Is It That I Will Face Serious Penalties If Convicted of Labor Trafficking?
Being charged with labor trafficking is not some hypothetical or uncommon occurrence. One Pennsylvania man was sentenced to life in prison for smuggling Ukrainians into the United States and forcing them to work without fair pay. This is only one of countless examples of both state and federal authorities taking a no-nonsense, heavy-handed tack with those accused of labor trafficking.
The point is that, if you are charged with labor trafficking of any kind, you must assume that the prosecutor and judge will throw the book at you, given the opportunity. Having a formidable defense is the only defense you have to such outcomes, and formidable is a word often used to describe the LLF Law Firm Criminal Defense Team.
Charged with Labor Trafficking in Pennsylvania? There Is One Firm You Want Representing You.
As the story we featured shows, a conviction for labor trafficking can lead to years in prison. Many of the offenses that can be related to labor trafficking are serious felony convictions, and defendants in these circumstances often face multiple charges.
The time to fight for yourself is not tomorrow or in a few days. It’s now. Call the LLF Law Firm Criminal Defense Team today at 888-535-3686 or contact us online so we can start crafting your defense.