A former owner of two Thai restaurants who fraudulently obtained visas to bring cooks from Thailand to work for him and then compelled them to work long hours with minimal pay was sentenced Tuesday to three years and one month in federal prison.
The prosecution of Paul Jumroon, 56, and his ex-wife, Tanya Jumroon, 59, mark the first forced labor case pursued in federal court in Oregon in recent history, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah Horsley.
The Jumroons owned Curry in a Hurry in Lake Oswego, Ore., and Teriyaki Thai in Ridgefield. They manipulated their cooks by exaggerating debt they owed, holding their passports and Social Security cards, traveling to and from work with them and subjecting them to verbal abuse in the kitchens, according to prosecutors.
U.S. District Judge Anna J. Brown said she struggled with the case, because she’s unfamiliar with this particular criminal conduct — what she called “this dark secret’’ that’s more common in the restaurant industry, which thrives on immigrant labor.
Despite the prosecution’s characterization that Paul Jumroon “carefully orchestrated’’ a forced labor scheme, the judge said she didn’t believe his actions were premeditated but the result of Jumroon’s “ignorance of the United States laws’’ and his drive to succeed economically.
The government sought a sentence of three years and 10 months, partly to send a strong message to other small-business owners that they can’t take advantage of their employees. Paul Jumroon’s defense lawyer urged probation or home detention.
“What he already endured is significant,’’ defense lawyer Kristen Winemiller said, noting he sold his two businesses and his home. “This has been a very shaming and humbling experience.’’
Paul Jumroon pleaded guilty in February to forced labor, conspiracy to commit visa fraud and making and subscribing a false federal income tax return in 2013.
“I’m sorry for what I did,’’ he said, standing before the judge in Portland. “I’m sorry to the cooks.’’
Sentencing guidelines call for 46 to 57 months in prison, but Brown said she took into account Jumroon’s age, lack of a prior criminal history, that he accepted responsibility early for his crimes and is paying the victims full restitution for their losses.
Paul Jumroon has agreed to pay $131,390.95 in restitution to four victims and $120,384 to the Internal Revenue Service for taxes due, for a total restitution of $251,774.95.
His former wife pleaded guilty to benefiting from forced labor, an offense rarely prosecuted. Tanya Jumroon is set to be sentenced Wednesday. Prosecutors are seeking a probationary sentence for her.
