ICE Frees Woman|From Virtual Slavery

SAN DIEGO (CN) - Immigration agents rescued an Indonesian woman from virtual slavery and criminally charged the family who was holding her captive in their home in El Cajon, federal prosecutors said.

Firas Majeed, 44, and Shatha Abbas, 38, trafficked the woman into the United States, confiscated her passport and made her work 16 to 18 hours a day, seven days a week for nearly five months, under threat of physical harm, the U.S. Attorney's Office said Friday.

This came after the defendants' family had subjected the victim to five years of similar treatment in Dubai, the U.S. attorney said in a statement.

The victim, W.M., was rescued after she passed a note to a visiting nurse, asking for help.

Federal agents rescued her from the apartment on South Mollison Avenue in El Cajon on March 22.

The family kept her under close watch and let her leave the apartment only to empty the garbage, the U.S. attorney said.

Ironically, immigration agents often are the ones who rescue victims of human trafficking and involuntary servitude. The Homeland Security officer in charge of San Diego, Dave Shaw, called this a case of "modern-day slavery."

Majeed and Abbas are charged with forced labor, human trafficking for forced labor, and aiding and abetting. They must appear in court on April 21.

If convicted of all charges, they could each be sentenced to 45 years in federal prison and fined $750,000.

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