Feds: 3 charged in Mexican migrant worker conspiracy

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Three people have been indicted in a multi-state conspiracy involving the forced labor of Mexican agricultural immigrants. A federal grand jury in Tampa formally charged Bladimir Moreno, Christina Gamez and Guadalupe Mendes Mendoza under a six-count indictment last week. According to the indictment, Moreno, Gamez and Mendes Mendoza ran a labor contracting company for migrant workers with temporary agricultural visas from 2015 through 2017. Investigators say Los Villatoros Harvesting subjected to forced labor multiple Mexican agricultural workers employed in Florida, Kentucky, Indiana, Georgia and North Carolina. Officials say the company also harbored migrant workers in the U.S. after their H-2A visas had expired.