Kathleen Diep
December 3, 2015
Labor Trafficking
Our group focused on labor trafficking in the Bay Area. Each member in the group had a different
task to look up different cases in the Bay Area about labor trafficking. The United Nations defines human
trafficking as “the recruitment, transport, or receipt of persons by means of threat, force, or deception, for
the purpose of exploitation.” I specifically looked at cases in Saratoga and San Jose. On November 21,
2015, three people were arrested on suspicion of human trafficking and wage theft. Their names were
Esther Norbona-Sanchez, Paulino O-Farrill, and Pedro Barea-Riva. Investigators from the District
Attorney’s Office, three sheriff’s deputies, and an FBI agent have been on investigation and continually
searching for 15 more potential victims. These people were from Spain and have been victimized and lied
to. They were forced to work and provide labor at the restaurant TapaOle in Saratoga’s village district and
Utopia salon on Cox Avenue. Many residents of Saratoga were surprised and shocked to hear this as they
had no suspicion. These bring awareness that labor trafficking happens everywhere. The people guilty of
committing labor trafficking and wage theft promised these victims with a salary of $2000-3000 a month.
When it came time, they demanded $500 rent and if they could not pay it, they would not be paid at all.
This is also similar to debt bondage. They provided them with uncomfortable living conditions such as
living in a shed, that had a tiny anteroom in which there were cracks in there.