Rockland County District Attorney Thomas P. Zugibe today announced that a grand jury has indicted several members of a Clarkstown family on labor trafficking and other charges for allegedly using intimidation, threats and physical violence to force a 20‐year‐old woman into a life of servitude and sexual abuse.

Charged are:

          Aman Jagota (DOB 06/03/49) of 28 Butternut Drive, New City, New York

          Parveen Jagota (DOB 01/04/54) of 28 Butternut Drive, New City, New York

          Vishal Jagota (DOB 01/16/78) of 28 Butternut Drive, New City, New York

          Rajani Jagota (DOB 12/03/80) of 28 Butternut Drive, New City, New York

Each of the defendants is charged with:

• Three counts of Labor Trafficking in the Second Degree, class “D” Felonies

• One count of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, a class “A” Misdemeanor

Aman Jagota is additionally charged with:

• Fifty counts of Forcible Touching, class “A” Misdemeanors Vishal Jagota is additionally charged with:

• One count of Assault in the Third Degree, a class “A” Misdemeanor

Parveen Jagota and Rajani Jagota are additionally charged with:

• One count of Assault in the Second Degree, a class “D” Felony

The victim, now 22‐years‐old, is an Indian citizen who was brought to the United States through an arranged marriage with Vishal Jagota in January, 2008.

The signs of trouble were present even before she got married. Her groom threatened to leave at the start of the wedding, and her in-laws taunted her about the arrangements and gifts as soon as the ceremony was over.

But the young woman, who grew up in a traditional home in northwestern India and left for Ramapo after an arranged marriage to Vishal Jagota of 28 Butternut Drive, still believed she could have a happy life in America.

What ensued, however, was almost three years of abuse, the young woman testified in a labor trafficking and sex abuse case being prosecuted by the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office before Judge William Nelson in New City. Her name is being withheld by The Journal News because she is an alleged victim of sex abuse.

The woman described beatings, abuse and hours of backbreaking work she had to endure during the years she spent in the home of the multigenerational Jagota household, which included eight adults and two children.

She and Vishal Jagota have a daughter, who is 3. No other member of the house helped her, she testified, adding she was told that she was brought from India for housework.

It is alleged that the defendants engaged in a scheme, using intimidation, physical and sexual abuse and manipulation to force the victim to work as a round‐the‐clock servant, performing a variety of household chores, cooking, child care and other tasks under threats of violence and other threats.

It is further alleged that when the victim threatened to contact authorities, the defendants vowed to concoct wild stories, accusing her of committing various types of crime.

Said District Attorney Zugibe, “Victims in forced labor cases are vulnerable targets who are promised stable lives, but end up in abusive situations and deplorable conditions. This office will continue its commitment to rescue victims of this form of modern‐day slavery and vigorously prosecute the individuals who exploit them.”

According to the charges, Aman Jagota regularly groped and fondled the victim, and otherwise sexually assaulted her. On one occasion, Parveen Jagota and Rajani Jagota allegedly burned the victims’ hand with a hot iron.

On another occasion, Vishal Jagota is accused of biting the victim, causing scarring on her cheek.

The victim was forced to face her captors for nearly three years, from her arrival in Rockland County in 2008, until September, 2010.

The defendants were arraigned this morning before the Honorable William K. Nelson and the matter has been adjourned to March 29, 2011 for conference.

Labor Trafficking carries up to seven years in state prison.