HARRISBURG, PA — A Chester County man pleaded guilty to multiple felony charges after prosecutors alleged he forced two immigrant girls, ages 12 and 17, to work long hours on a mushroom farm for little or no pay while threatening them with punishment or deportation if they sought help.
Ramiro Caal Jolomna, 37, pleaded guilty Thursday in Chester County Court to two counts each of trafficking in individuals and involuntary servitude, along with one count each of theft by extortion and receiving stolen property, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office reported.
Jolomna has not yet been sentenced. Prosecutors stated he is also subject to an immigration detainer.
According to the Attorney General’s Office and the Pennsylvania State Police investigation, the girls were brought from Guatemala and told they owed “debts” for being transported to the United States. Investigators alleged the victims were kept out of school, required to work seven days a week for long hours, and received little or no compensation.
Prosecutors alleged the 12-year-old victim worked 16-hour shifts every day of the week at a mushroom farm and was required to sign her paychecks over to Jolomna and his wife. Authorities further alleged she was forced to perform household chores, including cleaning the defendants’ home.
The investigation also found that Jolomna sponsored the 17-year-old victim’s entry into the United States before allegedly subjecting her to similar working conditions. According to prosecutors, the teenager sought employment to support her sick father and other family members in Guatemala but retained little of her earnings after Jolomna allegedly took most of her wages.
Attorney General Dave Sunday described the guilty plea as a significant outcome in a labor trafficking prosecution.
“Felony convictions in these cases are very difficult, and thanks to effective collaboration with the Pennsylvania State Police, we achieved one today,” Sunday stated. “Labor trafficking, while not as often in the headlines, is cruel conduct that forces victims into a routine of helplessness and silence.”
The Office of Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Section investigated the case with the Pennsylvania State Police. Senior Deputy Attorney General Zachary Wynkoop is prosecuting the matter.
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