Houston-area couple indicted for enslaving Nigerian woman

HOUSTON — A federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment Tuesday against a Houston-area couple who allegedly enslaved a Nigerian woman in their home for more than two years.

This indictment was announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson, Southern District of Texas. This investigation was conducted by the following members of the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance in Houston: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement' s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Fort Bend (Texas) Sheriff's Office, and the Department of State's Diplomatic Security Service.

Chudy and Sandra Nsobundu, 56 and 50, respectively, are charged with forced labor, withholding documents, visa fraud, and conspiracy to harbor and harboring an illegal alien. They were originally charged by criminal complaint Feb. 4 and arrested four days later. The indictment was returned March 1, and the defendants are expected to make their next appearance in federal court in the near future.

According to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint, the 38-year-old victim was subjected to physical and verbal abuse while employed by the Katy, Texas, couple, and regularly referred to as "the idiot." The victim allegedly worked every day from 5:30 a.m. until 1 a.m., and was responsible for cleaning the house, making meals and taking care of five children.

The criminal complaint alleges she was told she could not watch television or even sit down during her work hours. She was also allegedly told to sleep on the floor, and she could not use warm water to bathe or wash her hair. The affidavit also claims that she was not allowed to eat fresh food and was only permitted to eat leftovers from previously prepared meals. Further, if the victim ever wanted milk for her tea, she had to strain milk out of the children's cereal bowls, according to the allegations. In one instance of alleged abuse, the criminal complaint charges that Sandra Nsobundu dragged the victim by her hair and hit her across her face because she did not like the socks the victim put on one of the children.

The alleged victim did not have access to a phone and could not communicate with her family, according the charges. Her movements were mostly limited to the residence and she was allegedly only allowed outside for short walks around her block with the youngest children. The charges outlined in the complaint indicate the victim also did not have access to her passport or other travel documents.

The defendants had previously agreed to pay the woman 20,000 Nigerian nairas (about $100 U.S.) per month, according to the charges. The Nsobundus allegedly never paid the victim for any of her work in the U.S.

Following a tip to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center, the victim was rescued Oct. 10, 2015, after spending more than two years with the Nsobundus in the U.S.

The indictment also includes a notice of forfeiture of the Katy residence as property used in the facilitation of the alleged crimes.

If convicted of the conspiracy or forced labor, both defendants each face up to 20 years in federal prison. For withholding documents, they face another five years; convictions for visa fraud and harboring illegal aliens carry a possible 10-year-sentence. All of the charges could also result in a $250,000 maximum fine.

An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie N. Searle and Ruben Perez, Southern District of Texas, are prosecuting this case.