Now. 81. Wed. 90. Thu. 86. byNick Viviani. Miriam Mackler was sentenced to 180 days in jail after pleading guilty to two counts of human trafficking, court records show. PBSO. . TOPICS:. WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. CBS12 The woman who trafficked two sisters andwas accused of holding themin debt bondage was sentenced Tuesday to approximately six months in jail. Court records show Miriam Mackler pleaded guilty to two counts of human trafficking and was given a 180day sentence, along with three years of probation. Mackler, however, has accrued 167 days of time served, meaning she will remain behind bars for less than two weeks. The Palm Beach County Sheriff s Office announced Mackler s arrest in January following and investigation by its Human Trafficking Task Force. One of the victims, who were from Guatemala, told investigators they paid 15,000 each come to the United States. The sister identified as Victim 2 in the affidavit managed to pay off her debt and was living on her own at the time she spoke with the Sheriff s Office, investigators noted. See Also:'Im gone kill u': Greenacres man accused of threatening to kill pregnant exgirlfriend. 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. Victim 1 is reported to have told investigators when she 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 originally booked on counts of labor trafficking and smuggling.
Miriam Mackler sentenced to 180 days in jail for human trafficking two sisters from Guatemala. Victims were forced to work at a food truck to pay off debts imposed by Mackler. One victim was pregnant upon arrival in the U.S. and gave birth while under Mackler's control. Mackler threatened to take the child away if debts were not repaid. The victims endured verbal abuse and were not allowed to keep the money they earned.