Woman gets prison, fine, (future deportation) for rights abuse

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Woman gets prison, fine for rights abuse

Servant forced to work 5 years for about $420

By CINDY GEORGE

2008 Houston Chronicle

A Sugar Land woman who admitted holding an Indonesian worker in forced labor for five years will spend a year in prison and pay $72,676 to the victim.

Rozina Mohd Ali, 43, pleaded guilty Thursday for her role in the domestic servitude case. The worker escaped Ali's home last August by climbing out of a window, court documents said.

Ali, a lawful permanent resident from Malaysia, has been in federal custody since her arrest in September by immigration officials.

In 2002, the unnamed servant went to work for Ali in Malaysia through an Indonesian employment agency. Two weeks later, Ali brought the woman to the United States on a temporary visitor's visa. According to court papers, the worker didn't realize she was headed for the United States until she arrived.

The criminal complaint against Ali said the servant wanted to return to Malaysia, but Ali confiscated the 32-year-old woman's passport, forced her to work long hours — at Ali's home and for relatives — and beat her.

In the plea agreement, Ali admitted to forcing the woman to work under fear of serious harm and for little or no money. In all, the servant was paid about $420. Under the deal, federal prosecutors in the South Texas district agreed not to pursue criminal charges against 11 of Ali's relatives, including her father, ex-husband and siblings.

Human trafficking cases are a Justice Department priority. Ali waived her right to have a grand jury consider an indictment on the felony charge and requested immediate sentencing, said her lawyer, Joel Androphy.

Under the deal, Ali was granted release on bond Thursday until April 22, when she is supposed to report back to federal prison. Androphy said Ali will likely end up being deported to Malaysia.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5673498.html