Shreesh Tiwari, a 71-year-old Indian national and legal US permanent resident, has been sentenced to 57 months in prison for trafficking a woman for peonage and slavery, marking a disturbing case of exploitation and abuse at a Georgia motel. Tiwari, the former manager of Budgetel Motel in Cartersville, Georgia, was found guilty of subjecting a woman to unspeakable horrors, utilizing promises of aid to manipulate and control her.
According to court documents and statements by federal prosecutors, Tiwari hired the victim, who had previously faced homelessness and struggled with addiction, to work as a maid at the motel. Promising assistance in regaining custody of her child, Tiwari lured her with assurances of pay, housing, and legal representation.
However, Tiwari’s promises turned out to be deceptive tactics to gain control over the victim’s life. Rather than fulfilling his commitments, he exerted strict control, monitoring her interactions with others, isolating her from family and friends, and restricting her communications.
Prosecutors detailed a disturbing pattern of manipulation and threats, with Tiwari making sexual advances towards the victim, threatening eviction from the room he provided her, and warning of reporting her drug use to law enforcement or child welfare agencies. Additionally, he regularly evicted her from her room, at times even locking her out without warning.
The situation escalated to a dire extent, with Tiwari coercing the victim into performing sex acts with him to retain her accommodation. Refusal resulted in eviction, leaving her homeless and vulnerable.
“Human trafficking can occur anywhere since traffickers are adept at identifying someone’s vulnerabilities and often fraudulently extend hope to someone looking for an opportunity to improve their dire circumstances,” remarked Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
US Attorney Ryan K Buchanan for the Northern District of Georgia condemned Tiwari’s ruthless exploitation, emphasizing the shock at the level of callousness exhibited. He also highlighted the importance of Tiwari’s prosecution as a warning to other potential traffickers, aiming to safeguard communities from similar atrocities.
Acting Special Agent in Charge Travis Pickard of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Atlanta underscored Tiwari’s exploitation of the victim’s vulnerable circumstances, describing the relentless abuse inflicted upon her as unspeakable.
The sentencing of Shreesh Tiwari sheds light on the pervasive issue of human trafficking, emphasizing the need for awareness and vigilance to combat such exploitation and protect vulnerable individuals from being preyed upon for heinous purposes.
Sources By Agencies
