CHICAGO (jGLi) – An American couple from Maryland initially indicted for five counts of forced labor conspiracy, attempted forced labor, document servitude, conspiracy to harbor for financial gain, harboring domestic worker for financial gain and forfeiture after enslaving a Filipina for ten years had pleaded guilty to a lesser offense of harboring an illegal alien and is likely to draw a maximum prison term of five years and a fine of $250,000 and to pay a possible restitution.
Alfred Edwards, Jr. and his wife, Gloria Edwards, both of 6200 Block of Richmanor Terrace in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, would have to pay “$6,716.20 in advance” “to satisfy the disputed” monies of the Filipino woman identified only as “T.E.” “misappropriated” by the couple.
The Edwards will also be placed under “supervised release of three years,” to pay special $100 assessment fee, and are ordered not to contact “T.E.” directly or thru third parties.
The plea deal was firmed up by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Lenzner on behalf of U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein of Maryland and private defense lawyers Robert C. Bonsib on behalf of Gloria Edwards and Andrew Alpert on behalf of Alfred Edwards, Jr.
U.S. District Court Judge Alexander Williams, Jr. of Maryland on May 29, 2012 set the sentencing on Sept. 20, 2012.
In Oct. 1998, Edwards arranged for T.E. who is a national of the Philippines, to enter US under false pretenses. Gloria paid $5,000 to someone to assist in obtaining T.E’s travel to and entry into US, including compensating the individual for securing T.E’s visa under false pretense.
The Edwards knew T.E. entered US without disclosing the facts regarding T.E’s purpose to enter US and without disclosing that T.E. would be residing with Edwards at their residence. Upon T.E.’s arrival at an airport in Virginia in May of 1999 in the company of said individual, Gloria picked up T.E. and drove her to Edwards’ home in Bowie, Maryland where T.E. resided for most of the time until T.E. left that residence in Aug. 2009.
FACITATED MARRIAGE OF ALFRED EDWARDS, JR.’s BROTHER WITH DEMENTIA
During T.E.’s time with Edwards, both Edwards took steps to fraudulently obtain permanent residence status for T.E., including arranging a marriage to “M.R.”, knowing that the marriage was not a bona fide marriage and that it was arranged for the purposes of trying to secure lawful status in the US for T.E.
The indictment alleged that in early May 1999, Gloria Edwards showed money to T.E., handing it to the individual, who escorted her from the Philippines to the U.S.. The individual, in turn, gave T.E.’s passport to Gloria Edwards.
On July 14, 1999 before T.E.’s B1 (Tourist) visa was to expire, knowing fully well that T.E. is married in the Philippines, the Edwards arranged T.E. to marry “Individual 2,” who failed to appear at an immigration hearing on Nov. 20, 2000. T.E. and Individual 2 never lived together. The Edwards later facilitated Individual 2’s divorce from T.E.
On Dec. 14, 2000, the Edwards facilitated T.E.’s marriage to Alfred Edwards, Jr.’s brother, who was suffering from dementia, diabetes and related conditions that required extensive care.
Between 2000 and 2002, T.E.’s eight children, who lived in the apartment owned by Gloria Edwards in the Philippines, Gloria Edwards demanded from T.E. to pay Edwards by cleaning house for neighbors and required T.E.’s eldest daughter to manage the apartment building without getting paid.
When Gloria Edwards learned that T.E’s eldest daughter was dating, Gloria ordered all T.E.’s children to vacate the apartment.
Between 2002 and 2006, Edwards did not pay T.E. for her work (13 hours a day at $50 a day) and did not send money to T.E.’s children in the Philippines.
In August 2008 after Alfred Edwards’ brother died, Alfred Edwards, Jr. fondled T.E.’s buttocks inside her underwear and became mad when T.E. screamed for him to stop. (lariosa_jos@sbcglobal.net)
