La Jolla Woman Convicted of Keeping Maids as Slaves

A federal court jury Friday convicted La Jolla resident Santee Kimes on charges that she kept maids in slavery at posh residences in three different states.

Jurors, who began deliberations Thursday afternoon, found Kimes guilty of 14 of the 16 counts she was charged with. Each count carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.

U.S. District Judge Howard McKibben set sentencing for April 16. Kimes’ husband, Kenneth Kimes, earlier pleaded guilty to a reduced charge in the case.

Prosecutors claimed that the couple, who operated a chain of motels, hired illegal aliens as maids and prevented them from talking to relatives or trying to leave.

Assistant U.S. Atty. Karla Dobinsiki called Mrs. Kimes “a greedy, cunning and cruel woman” who lied to her maids, then coerced them into staying at their homes in San Diego, Las Vegas and Honolulu.

Dobinsiki, summarizing the testimony of the seven Spanish-speaking maids, claimed Mrs. Kimes lured the females away from their families by promising to pay them, give them days off and let them contact their relatives.

But Dobinsiki said none of the promises were kept and that in some cases Mrs. Kimes beat or abused some of the maids.

Mrs. Kimes cried softly during the prosecutor’s arguments and at one point yelled out, “It’s all lies.”

Defense attorney Dominic Gentile told jurors they didn’t have to like Mrs. Kimes to acquit her of the charges, saying that not enough evidence was presented to convict Mrs. Kimes on the slavery charge because the maids voluntarily entered their work and there was no retaliation after they left.

Gentile contended Mrs. Kimes was strict and secretive with her maids because she feared her husband’s relatives were trying to harm her and her young son.

The defense attorney accused two of the maids who testified as having ulterior motives because they have filed a $24-million civil lawsuit against Mrs. Kimes.