Simi Valley couple charged with forced labor, trafficking asylum seekers

A Simi Valley couple, Carolina Rojas and Jairo John Gastelo, were arrested on charges of exploiting asylum-seeking immigrants from Latin America by coercing them into performing domestic labor without pay and forcing them to surrender their earnings from outside jobs. The couple allegedly smuggled these immigrants into the U.S. and, while providing them with housing, required them to care for their special-needs child and perform household chores. Rojas faces additional charges related to human trafficking and providing unauthorized immigration documents. The couple's actions reportedly spanned from November 2021 to March 2024, during which they allegedly collected the victims' paychecks to recoup smuggling fees. Both individuals are being detained pending a trial scheduled for April 8. Federal officials emphasize the importance of enforcing immigration laws to combat labor trafficking.