BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – A Mexican national has been sentenced to more than four years in prison for her role in a smuggling and labor trafficking operation, following an investigation aided by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Maria Del Carmen Sanchez Potrero, also known as Maria Carmela Sanchez, was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $574,608 in restitution, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced. Upon completing her sentence, she will face removal proceedings.
Deceptive Recruitment and Exploitation
Court documents reveal that Sanchez and her associates lured victims from Mexico, promising to smuggle them into the U.S. for fees ranging from $15,000 to $20,000, payable after arrival. Many victims were forced to surrender property deeds as collateral before leaving Mexico.
The migrants were then transported—often under dangerous conditions—to residences in the Hartford area, including Sanchez’s Madison Street home. Once in Connecticut, victims were told their debts had ballooned to approximately $30,000, with additional charges for rent, food, gas, and utilities.
Forced Labor and Coercion
Sanchez and her co-conspirators provided victims with fraudulent documents, including fake Green Cards and Social Security cards, and secured them jobs in the Hartford area. However, some were also forced to perform unpaid household labor without any reduction in their debts.
Those who failed to make payments faced threats, including harm to family members in Mexico, seizure of their property, exposure of their immigration status to authorities, and increased interest rates.
Victims Included Minors
Investigators have identified 19 victims, including multiple minors. At least two were smuggled into the U.S. without a parent or legal guardian.
The case was investigated by the FBI, Hartford Police Department, U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, USCIS, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Angel Krull and Shan Patel are prosecuting the case.
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