Tormented Worker Files Civil Suit

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By Chuck Harmer

Two former hotel managers sit in federal prison tonight for mistreating workers at the Comfort Inn and Suites Hotel they operated in Oacoma, South Dakota.

Now new accusations have emerged that Robert and Angelita Farrell of Mitchell intimidated, harrassed, isolated and exploited workers who are from  the Philippines.

It all stems back to the year 2005,  according to court documents the Farrell's promised a housekeeping job to Maria Corazon Margallo-Gans and jobs to 8 other Filipino workers.

The 9 workers agreed to the job, so the Farrells flew to Manila, picked up Maria and the 8 other workers and flew them back to the Farrell's hotel at the Comfort Inn and Suites in Oacoma.

What's inside the documents details disturbing allegations of how the 9 Filipino workers were treated.

The agreement between the Farrells and the Filipino workers was for them to work 40 hours a week at the hotel in Oacoma which was formerly named the Comfort Inn and Suites Hotel, that has been renamed and is now under new management.

Court documents show that after arriving in the United States, the Farrells took the workers passports and visas, watched the workers every movements, and didn't allow the workers to speak to each other.

The US Department of Labor found that the nine workers put in as many as 160 hours a week at multiple establishments and were forced to walk from their shared apartment regardless of the weather.

These documents state that Robert Farrell barged into the workers apartment hauling a couple of dead deer,  dumped the bloody dead animals on the floor and ordered the workers to cut the meat into pieces for their own consumption.

The documents also detail that after living in Oacoma for a year, Maria lost 50 pounds and weighed 90 pounds.

Michael Luce, the attorney representing Maria in this civil case wouldn't speak to us on camera, but told us "in my 30 years of practicing law i have never seen a case such as this and i am proud to represent maria and tell her story to the judge."

The Farrells are both in prison right now, this afternoon KSFY spoke to United States Attorney Marty Jackley who handled the federal criminal case didn't want to speak on camera but he reiterated what he said back in November.

That the laws enforced in this case, "protect the value of human dignity, the conditions of servitude that these victims were forced to endure were simply unacceptable in any modern day society."

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Tuesday, Mar 17 at 10:35 AM anonymous wrote ...

Someone investigator should check out Margallo-Gan's story to validate her allegations.

Friday, Mar 13 at 4:25 PM anonymous wrote ...

an also everyone keep in mind these are all Allegations!!i cant believe they can put these statments public, a normal size human could not evan carry one deer let alone two so there is information left out or the truth is bein stretched.

Friday, Mar 13 at 3:49 PM anonymous wrote ...

the people accusing are not even citezens of the US how could they sue when they dont have nothing at all if i could gather nine people to testify all against one person or persons i could win more severe cases. its sad they are already incarcerated i hope the state not give the illegal immigrants anything.

Friday, Mar 13 at 9:12 AM Ex-South Dakotans wrote ...

South Dakotans are just like everybody else, some good, some not so good.

Friday, Mar 13 at 5:41 AM Anonymous wrote ...

This is just awful. I hate to think that people in South Dakota could be this cruel to another human being.

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