Pennsylvania authorities have charged a man with bringing two teenage girls into the United States from Mexico and Guatemala and forcing them to work on a farm for little or no pay, the state attorney general said Monday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ramiro Caal Jolomna used the threat of deportation to coerce the girls, ages 14 and 17, to work on the mushroom farm in Chester County, Attorney General Dave Sunday said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The girls were forced to work seven days a week and \u201cwere charged \u2018debts\u2019 for Jolomna having them brought into the country,\u201d the attorney general\u2019s office and Pennsylvania State Police said in a statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sunday said in a statement, \u201cThis is a disturbing set of facts involving a man preying on vulnerable girls who wanted to make an honest living and help their families back home.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The girls were kept out of school to work on the farm, authorities said. How the 14-year-old came to America was not clear from the statement; she is alleged to have been brought in from Mexico.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Authorities said that Jolomna brought the 17-year-old to the country under a sponsorship and that she wanted to provide for a sick father and family members back in Guatemala.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jolomna had the younger girl’s paychecks signed over to him and kept most of the older girl’s wages, the attorney general’s office alleged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jolomna is charged trafficking in individuals and involuntary servitude, as well as other counts, the attorney general\u2019s office said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Online court records did not appear to show his case Monday night, and it was not clear whether he had an attorney who could speak on his behalf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The attorney general’s office said Monday that Jolomna was arraigned and that bail was set at $1 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n