Five hotel owners were charged in a 24-count federal indictment on Monday in connection with an elaborate human trafficking investigation in Omaha.
Ketankumar Chaudhari, 36, of Elkhorn, is accused of three charges of sex trafficking involving a minor through force, fraud, or coercion.
He is also charged with four charges of maintaining a narcotics premise and three counts of conspiring to traffic labor.
Chaudhari is also charged with eight charges of conspiracy to illegally harbor immigrants and four counts of transporting them.
Finally, he is charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States as well as fraud and misuse of visas.
If convicted, he may face up to life in prison.
Rashmi Samani, 42, of Elkhorn, faces the same 24 charges as Chaudhari. He also risks life in prison.
Amit P. Chaudhari, 32, of Omaha, has been charged with three counts of sex trafficking a minor through force, deception, or coercion.
He is also charged with four charges of maintaining a narcotics premise and three counts of conspiring to traffic labor.
That defendant is also charged with eight counts of conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens in the nation, as well as four counts of transporting those immigrants.
He faces up to life in prison.
Amit B. Chaudhari, 33, of Omaha, has been charged with three counts of sex trafficking a minor through force, deception, or coercion.
He is also accused of maintaining a narcotics premise and conspiring to commit labor trafficking on three counts.
Amit B. Chaudhari is also charged with one count of conspiracy to illegally shelter aliens.
He faces up to life in prison.
Maheshkumar Chaudhari, 38, of Norfolk, is charged with two counts of labor trafficking conspiracy and one count of illegally harboring aliens.
If convicted, he will face 50 years in prison.
On August 12, federal agents raided 14 businesses and two homes in the Omaha region, detaining five persons in a human trafficking case.
The raid targeted four hotels and motels: the AmericInn at Interstate 80 and 13th Street, the Inn (previously Super 8) near I-80 and 144th Street, the New Victorian Inn & Suites off Highway 275, and the Rodeway Inn on Fort Crook Road in Bellevue.
Authorities said they rescued 10 juveniles and 17 adults from a labor trafficking organization.
The motels forced children as young as 12 years old to labor long hours for little to no pay, according to the US Attorney’s Office. a
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