DUNKIRK — A Dunkirk man was sentenced to 30 years in prison Friday on charges of forced labor and kidnapping.
Augusto Mateo Francisco, 34, received the sentence from U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. following his conviction on two counts of forced labor and one count of transportation of a minor.
He was also ordered to lifetime supervised release, restitution payments and mandatory registration as a sex offender.
Prosecutors stated Francisco, a Legal Permanent Resident from Guatemala, facilitated the illegal entry of migrants into the U.S. and transported them to the Dunkirk area.
He provided housing and work at local farms, then charged migrants for housing, transportation and other items while taking a portion of their wages.
Francisco threatened two victims by saying he would harm their families or report them to immigration authorities if they stopped working or failed to repay purported debts.
He also repeatedly raped a 16-year-old Guatemalan migrant and threatened her family in Guatemala if she disclosed the assaults.
Francisco kidnapped the minor and held her in a trailer in Ripley for nearly two weeks before police rescued her.
After the victim and her mother fled to Georgia, Francisco followed, kidnapped the minor again and brought her back to western New York where he held her unlawfully for several more days.
The sentencing resulted from an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office.
