OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - A federal jury in Northern California has convicted the owner of a construction company of harboring workers from Mexico in the country illegally and forcing them to work for little pay.
KPIX-TV reports the jury ruled Monday against 38-year-old Job Torres Hernandez.
Federal prosecutor say that since at least May 2015 Torres Hernandez forced the workers to live in squalid conditions and to work long hours under the threat of violence.
They say the workers had limited access to toilets and showers, and at times, the properties were locked, preventing them from leaving.
Torres Hernandez faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000 for harboring immigrants in the country illegally. He also faces another 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for the forced labor violations.
___
Information from: KPIX-TV.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.