Fond du Lac Woman, Boyfriend Sentenced for Child Trafficking, Assault

In Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, Elia Antonio and Juan Rocha Mejia were sentenced to maximum prison terms for their roles in the sexual assault and trafficking of Antonio's 12-year-old daughter. Antonio received 34 years of initial confinement plus 20 years of extended supervision for human trafficking, failure to protect a child, and bail jumping, while Rocha Mejia was sentenced to 40 years plus 20 years of extended supervision for sexual assault tied directly to the trafficking. The case emerged after the child escaped an attempted assault where Rocha Mejia had bound and blindfolded her, and DNA evidence linked him to the crime. District Attorney Eric J. Toney condemned Antonio for trafficking her own child and highlighted that both defendants were in the U.S. illegally. Judge Laura Lavey emphasized the gravity of Antonio's failure as a mother and rejected mitigation claims for Rocha Mejia, underscoring that decency and kindness are basic human values. The National Human Trafficking Hotline remains available for those needing assistance.