Feds say homeless lured to Florida labor camp

gldstwmn · #1 06-05-2005, 04:04 PM

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/06/05/lab....ap/index.html

EAST PALATKA, Florida (AP) -- Federal agents raided a migrant farm labor camp where homeless men and women were kept in what labor officials called a version of modern-day slavery.

Four people, including the camp's owner, Ronald Evans, face federal charges in a case that officials said is likely to grow. Investigators are looking into alleged environmental violations and drugs found at the camp in Friday's raid.

"The word is out that we are concerned about human trafficking, and we will leave no stone or camp unturned," said Steve Cole, a spokesman for Jacksonville U.S. attorney Paul I. Perez.

Officials said homeless people were recruited to the Evans Labor Camp through offers of room and board, along with alcohol, tobacco and drugs, which they bought on credit. But they never made enough in the field to pay it off, according to an investigative summary.

"A lot of times, they get them indebted even before they get back to the camp," federal agent Rebecca Hall said.

In a small central shed, investigators found about 100 rocks of suspected crack cocaine along with cigarettes and beer. Detective Lt. John Merchant described the shed as a "shop" where the rocks were sold for $20 each.

Department of Labor agents were joined in the raid by local officials and agents from the Environmental Protection Agency, which was investigating illegal dumping of raw sewage into a tributary of the St. Johns River.

"They've found what clearly looks like EPA violations, discharging raw sewage into the environment," said Putnam County Sheriff's Capt. Gary Bowling.

Seventy-eight potato field workers were interviewed at the compound south of Jacksonville. Some were arrested on unrelated, outstanding warrants.

Federal civil rights attorneys waited outside the camp to talk to the workers, offering them help getting out of the camp and finding other work. About 20 left with the attorneys.

amber · #2 06-05-2005, 04:13 PM

Jesus christ, if you're going to run a homeless slave labor camp, at least make it drug free! Cripes...
That reminds me, someone just got busted in SF for the ol' Asian ho slave trade sex house....hello, people, this isn't the 1850's!!!!
Interesting article, thanks for posting.

Very weird. I especially enjoyed the busting on the EPA angle.....

seeker007nmss · #3 06-05-2005, 11:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amber

Jesus christ, if you're going to run a homeless slave labor camp, at least make it drug free! Cripes...
That reminds me, someone just got busted in SF for the ol' Asian ho slave trade sex house....hello, people, this isn't the 1850's!!!!
Interesting article, thanks for posting.

Very weird. I especially enjoyed the busting on the EPA angle.....

Well maybe we are going backwords.... The religious right is turning us back to germany 1930's - Slave camps in Florida 1860's and now the Asian Ho' Houses of the 1850's. I refuse to wear a powdered wig if we get to that point! I won't even wear Bellbottoms, and that's only 1970's.

amber · #4 06-06-2005, 12:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seeker007nmss

Well maybe we are going backwords.... The religious right is turning us back to germany 1930's - Slave camps in Florida 1860's and now the Asian Ho' Houses of the 1850's. I refuse to wear a powdered wig if we get to that point! I won't even wear Bellbottoms, and that's only 1970's.

I'm sure we're all very thankful....