Couple Convicted of Enslaving Illegal Alien

A Wisconsin couple, who kept a Philippine woman confined to their home for 19 years so that she would work for them as a domestic servant, have been convicted in federal court on human trafficking charges.

Jefferson and Elnora Calimlim, who are both doctors in Milwaukee, were convicted of holding the woman in "a condition of servitude" for 19 years, working her long hours seven days a week, confined her inside their home, not allowing her to communicate with the outside world, or to socialize with others, according to the U.S. Justice Department.

The Calimlims threatened the woman with deportation and imprisonment if she disobeyed them. They hid the victim in the basement of the home when non-family members visited the house.

"Preying on this woman's hope for a better life, this couple instead forced her into a life of involuntary servitude," said Wan J. Kim, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division, in a news release. "The Justice Department takes these crimes seriously and is committed to prosecuting those involved in the systematic abuse and degradation of others."

The couple was convicted of conspiracy to commit forced labor, forced labor, and harboring an undocumented alien. They face a maximum sentence of 65 years in prison, mandatory restitution, $1,250,000 in fines, and the forfeiture of their home.

See Also: DOJ News Release