World Lawyers Lawyer, Attorney, Attorneys, Law Firms, Law Offices, News and Articles
Related Articles
Human trafficking is a form of slavery in which a person is forced to conduct labor or services against his or her will. Traffickers coerce or trap individuals into servitude or otherwise benefit from participation in human trafficking. Most often, human trafficking takes place to force victims into sexual exploitation or manual labor. If you have been arrested for human trafficking, you are facing severe criminal charges that could result in a strict sentence if you are convicted.
Types of Trafficking
While many cases of human trafficking involve the use of physical force and restraint to hold victims against their will, there are many other strategies that are used to entrap people into servitude. Some of the unlawful practices involved in human trafficking include:
- Threats of force or violence against the victim or his or her family
- Lending money or “loan sharking” to create a debt for which illegal labor or services are used to pay off the debt, or legal labor or services are used but are not valued and applied appropriately toward the remaining debt
- Stealing or otherwise withholding another person’s passport, visa, or other form of government identification against his or her will
Any person knowingly involved in the human trafficking process, whether in the recruiting, transport, funding, or housing of a victim, is guilty of human trafficking.
Penalties
Human trafficking is a second degree felony under Florida law, punishable by:
- Up to 15 years in prison, and
- Up to $10,000 in fines, and
- Restitution to the victims and their families
If you have been charged with human trafficking, you face severe penalties that could follow you for the rest of your life. It is therefore important to speak to a criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible to begin preparing your defense.
