Prosecutors say the owner of Brothers Landscaping on Vashon Island, Jesus Ruiz-Hernandez, lured victims from Mexico, forced them to work for him without pay, and charged them excessive amounts for rent and food to fund his own lavish lifestyle.
Ruiz-Hernandez, 45, was convicted in federal court on Wednesday of numerous charges related to human trafficking and forced labor.
Case records and testimony said Ruiz-Hernandez promised victims a better life for their families and used smugglers to bring them to the U.S. in exchange for them temporarily giving up rights to their children and family properties.
Many of the victims, who did not speak, read, or write English, were forced to work for Ruiz-Hernandez’s company without pay while they lived in his home and on other properties, while depending on him for food, shelter and other necessities. That led to growing debts while they were thousands of miles from home.
“For years Ruiz-Hernandez ensured a steady pipeline of workers for his landscaping business… He used their undocumented status and inability to speak English to prey on them,” prosecutors said.