More charges for couple accused of enslaving two girls in Aurora
More charges have been filed against a couple accused of using two girls from Guatemala as slaves in Aurora.
Santos Teodoro Ac-Salazar, 24, and Olga Choc Laj, 31, are charged with conspiracy to conceal, harbor and shield from detection both children, who were 10 and 15 years old when they entered the U.S. in 2019, according to a federal indictment announced Tuesday.
They are also charged with forced labor regarding the younger victim. A forced-labor charge concerning the older victim was filed earlier this year.
Ac-Salazar and Choc Laj are in custody and are due to be arraigned Wednesday.
Federal authorities say the couple forced the children to provide labor and services for the couple's private financial gain.
The older girl was made to work as a roofer, then in a factory, authorities say, and had to give all the money she earned to the couple. She and the younger girl also had to do household chores and take care of the couple's baby, authorities say.
Ac-Salazar and Choc Laj are Guatemalan citizens. Authorities say they each chose to travel with a girl to enter the U.S. unlawfully, so they would be released immediately if detained by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents.
The duo used smugglers and other people to locate the victims in Guatemala. They entered the U.S. in El Paso, Texas.
After the couple moved to Aurora, they failed to enroll the older girl in school, prohibited them from leaving the residence except in limited circumstances, and told them to provide false information to other people, including law enforcement authorities, the news release said.
According to a federal affidavit, the younger girl told a babysitter that she was being physically abused by the couple. The babysitter eventually called Aurora police.