A Louisiana man used violence, sexual abuse, food withholding, degradation and intimidation as methods to force minors into working for his brownie making business, according to a plea agreement.
Darnell Fulton, 38, of Pineville, La., Friday pleaded guilty to charges of “conspiring to compel labor by three minors and to transporting a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity,” the U.S. Department of Justice announced.
According to his plea agreement, Fulton abused and coerced minors into working for his brownie-making business from June 2016 to May 2019 and then took the business profits. He would make his victims travel to around 20 to 30 locations in one day, including plazas, car dealerships, law firms, restaurants and parking lots to sell the brownies, said the agreement.
“The victims worked late into the night, either selling or baking the brownies, and sold them during the day instead of going to school,” said the Justice Department. “In fact, the victims typically worked seven days a week with very few breaks, and had to meet a sales quota every day.”
In addition to forcing them to work, the plea deal states that Fulton regularly assaulted the young victims, especially if they failed to meet those quotas.
“For example, the defendant frequently required the victims to get on their hands and knees on rice and stay in a pushup or plank position for hours, and he often whipped them with a belt if they got out of proper form,” the Justice Department said. “He also forced the minor victims to perform sexual acts with him and others, and transported them across state lines in order to engage in criminal sexual activity.”
U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown for the Western District of Louisiana said that the Fulton case is proof that human trafficking can happen in front of peoples’ eyes without them noticing.
The National Human Trafficking Hotline’s most recent data showed that it received a total of 51,667 substantive phone calls, text, Webchats, emails, or online tip reports nationwide in 2020.
“Each of us must be vigilant and aware of our surroundings and if we see a situation that seems suspicious, take the time to report it to the police,” he said. Unfortunately, the victims in this case are the ones who have suffered life-long trauma because of this defendant’s horrendous acts.”
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said Fulton’s “conviction makes clear that the Department of Justice will prosecute those who use violence, psychological abuse, and emotional manipulation to compel the labor and services of their victims.”
She said the department encourages survivors of forced labor, including children, to contact authorities.
According to the Justice Department, Fulton’s sentencing hearing has been scheduled for April 11. He faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years imprisonment and a maximum penalty of up to life imprisonment. Fulton also faces a $250,000 fine for transporting a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity and a maximum penalty of 20 years and a $250,000 fine for conspiracy to commit forced labor.
“As part of his plea agreement, the defendant agreed to a sentence of 35 years in prison and to pay more than $700,000 in restitution to the victims,” the Justice Department said.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888 at any time.
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