Woman accused of labor trafficking, debt bondage, threatens to separate victim’s family

By Gershon Harrell 

On January 29, 2024

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — A woman is accused of labor trafficking two sisters, who were smuggled into the U.S. as minors, and threatening to send one of the victim’s sons back to Guatemala.

On Jan. 16 the Palm Beach County Human Trafficking Task Force was contacted by road deputies about a human trafficking allegation that was made by the two sisters.

One of the sisters referred to as Victim 2 in the arrest affidavit, told investigators Miriam Lopez Mackler was refusing to let her sister, identified Victim 1, leave with her two-year-old son because she owed a $15,000 debt from being brought into the U.S. from Guatemala, according to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office statement.

The arrest affidavit states deputies went to Mackler’s residence where Victim 1 explained that she was afraid to leave because Mackler threatened to take away her son. Victim 1 explained to investigators that she and Victim 2 were charged $15,000 each to bring them to the U.S.

Victim 2 managed to pay off her debt and is living on her own in the U.S., the report says.

In an interview with deputies, Victim 1 explained that she arrived in the U.S. two years ago while pregnant, from Flamenco Guatemala. She said she knew Mackler from Guatemala because they lived near her mother. She added that she didn’t know about fees or any money owed until she arrived in the U.S.

Two men, referred to as coyotes, helped smuggle the pregnant victim into the U.S., the affidavit continued. Once she was in the U.S., she gave birth to her son while she was being held at an immigration shelter in Texas.

When Victim 1 arrived in Palm Beach County, Mackler explained she pawned her car and borrowed money from someone to smuggle her into the U.S. Mackler told her she owed a total of $17,000.

Mackler allegedly told Victim 1 that she would have to work at a food truck Mackler owned to pay back the loan and also $300 in rent on the 15th of every month.

The arrest report says that Mackler repeatedly threatened to take Victim 1’s child away from her if she did not repay the debt.

Victim 2 recounted a similar experience and told investigators when she arrived in Palm Beach County in 2021, she was forced to work at the Food Truck. She claimed she never saw the money she made because it went to the debt she owed.

The arrest report says Victim 2 endured verbal abuse, stating Mackler would call her a “whore” and that if she left the residence Mackler would deport her.

She eventually left the residence because she grew tired of verbal abuse and paid her debt to Mackler in full, the arrest report reads.

Mackler was taken to the Palm Beach County Jail where she’s charged with labor trafficking and smuggling. She’s being held on no bond.

This piece was republished from CBS 12 News.