In a development that has shocked the Tigard community, a mother-daughter duo was arraigned on federal forced labor charges. Marie Gertrude Jean Valmont, 66, and her daughter Yolandita Marie Andre, 30, stand accused of holding three individuals, one of them a minor, in a state of indentured servitude at an adult foster care home they operated.
According to a U.S. Department of Justice report, the victims were brought from Haiti under the pretense of legitimate work in the United States, but instead found themselves trapped in Velida’s Care Home in Tigard. The two adults, and the child, were forced to toil for long hours often without adequate compensation. Furthermore, the indictment alleges Valmont and Andre seized their immigration documents and used threats to maintain their servitude.
During the summer of last year, the case surfaced when the minor victim informed a pediatrician of her circumstances, triggering an investigation by the Oregon Department of Justice. Following this disclosure, the minor was placed in a foster home. The FBI, with assistance from the Tigard Police Department, apprehended Valmont and Andre on a recent Thursday.
Both Valmont and Andre entered not-guilty pleas at their initial court appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge, and they were subsequently released pending further proceedings. Each forced labor charge they face carries, a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison if convicted. This story will continue to unfold as the court case progresses, and the accused remains innocent until proven guilty.
Human trafficking and forced labor continue to be critical issues within our society, often occurring in plain sight. If you suspect someone is a victim of these crimes, contact the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733. They operate a toll-free hotline available 24/7 for anyone in the country seeking assistance or looking to report potential trafficking situations.
