SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes said this morning to expect more arrests in the labor trafficking case that has already seen the arrests of three executive officers of a West Bountiful landscaping company.

Earlier this week, three company executives for Rubicon Contractors LLC were taken into custody and charged with seven counts of aggravated labor trafficking.

BACKGROUND: 3 Utah company executives accused of labor trafficking

According to investigators, Clayton Phillips, 49, Tyler Brinkman, 57, and Adam Perea, 35, were recruiting workers from Mexico using temporary non-agriculture work visas. Once in Utah, the workers allegedly were forced into poor working and living conditions and subjected to unreasonable charges for housing and equipment.

Reyes’ office further added that the workers received negligible pay, forcing them to rely on food banks and charity to survive. Investigators also found that workers were allegedly forced to be on the job even while sick and threatened with deportation if they did not comply.

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“The treatment of these workers is appalling. I know our AG Victim Advocates have been on the scene supporting them,” said Reyes. “We intend to prove the victims are innocent people who came to America using a legal immigration process to work hard, earn a living, and contribute to society. But, instead, we believe they were exploited in subhuman living and working conditions as indentured servants in a labor trafficking scheme.”

Reyes’ office said Phillips, Brinkman, and Perea were only the first Rubicon employees to be arrested in connection to the labor trafficking scheme. According to a press release “additional Rubicon employees” are expected to be charged. However, the Attorney General’s office did not specify how many.

“This is another example of how broadly this type of crime plagues Utah and America and why I have made it a priority to combat human trafficking for the past 10 years,” said Reyes. “My office and I will continue to prioritize awareness and enforcement of these crimes and human rights abuses.”

Attorneys Skye Lazaro and Jamie Thomas who are representing Rubicon on behalf of Ray Quinney & Nebeker law firm told ABC4 that Rubicon is cooperating with the investigation being conducted by the Attorney General’s Office.

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“We learned today that Rubicon is being investigated by the Attorney General’s Office about its labor practices,” Lazaro and Thomas said in a statement to ABC4. “Rubicon denies any wrongdoing and has complied in good faith with all applicable laws. Rubicon is cooperating with the investigation and believes it will ultimately be vindicated.”

Charges are allegations only. All arrested persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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