Two Sentenced in Alien Smuggling, Torture
Two ringleaders of a group that smuggled deaf Mexicans into the United States with promises of a better life and then beat, tortured and held them in virtual imprisonment were sentenced and fined in a Brooklyn federal court Thursday.
Adriana Paoletti-Lemus, 30, was sentenced to 14 years in prison and ordered to pay $1 million in restitution by Judge Nina Gershon.
Paoletti had previously pleaded guilty to four counts of obstruction of justice, money laundering, alien smuggling and involuntary servitude.
She admitted in December to running operations in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles that illegally brought dozens of deaf or deaf-mute Mexicans into the country to sell trinkets and other items in subways.
Her mother, Delia Paoletti, 59, was sentenced to five years in prison and ordered to pay $500,000 in restitution. She had pleaded guilty to conspiracy and involuntary servitude.
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