Back in 2015, an intellectually disabled man from Conway, South Carolina sued the restaurant where he had worked for over two decades. He claimed that for the last part of that time, he worked under conditions that can best be described as modern-day slavery.
Christopher Smith worked at J&J Cafeteria in Conway when he was 12 years old, performing all kinds of tasks over the years. However, Smith says that things quickly turned for the worse when Bobby Edwards took over as the restaurant’s manager. Smith claims that Edwards subjected him to horrifying conditions. Smith was allegedly forced to work 18 hours a day during the week and 11 hours on Sundays, and was frequently beaten with numerous objects, burned with hot tongs, and targeted with racial slurs. Smith also says he was forced to live in a filth-infested apartment above the restaurant.
Although Smith’s ordeal was reportedly an open secret among customers and waitresses, he wasn’t rescued until 2014. He told his story to WMBF-TV in Myrtle Beach in February 2015 alongside his advocate, Geneane Caines. Watch here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JE6xPBIXN7g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjeWVeFNm1Q
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L45oiQfXD70
Soon after Smith’s rescue, Edwards was arrested on state charges of second-degree assault–a charge that seems woefully inadequate based on the ordeal Smith endured. Additionally, Smith has mild cognitive disorderAt the time, I wondered if this was yet another case of special-needs victims being shafted by the criminal-justice system.
Fortunately, it looks like the FBI, as well as the U. S. Attorney’s office in South Carolina, seem to get it. On Wednesday, federal prosecutors unsealed an indictment charging Edwards with subjecting Smith to forced labor.
While the full indictment has not made public, the details of Smith’s alleged enslavement have been public record since he sued Edwards and his brother Ernest, the restaurant’s owner, in November 2015. Smith claimed Edwards forced him to work from dawn to dusk, even when he was so exhausted that he had to be carried home. He claimed that Edwards frequently beat him into a pulp and stomped on his throat. Additionally, Edwards reportedly maintained a bank account with $30,000 on his behalf–but Smith claims he never saw a penny.
If that wasn’t enough, Smith was unable to collect unemployment after being rescued because J&J severely underreported his wages. J&J claims that Smith only earned $2,800 in four years, which is downright laughable considering that he worked as much as 18 hours per day. The restaurant has since been sold to new owners.
Last February, Smith’s lawyers had Bobby Edwards removed from the suit “without prejudice.” However, Ernest Edwards and his company, Half Moon Foods, are still listed as defendants.
If convicted, Edwards faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and mandatory restitution. Tellingly, federal prosecutors contend that Smith’s enslavement began in September 2009, almost a year earlier than originally claimed. This is important, because under federal sentencing guidelines, Edwards faces a minimum of four to six years in federal prison if convicted.
Frankly, anything less than 10 years would be a joke, considering that Edwards took advantage of Smith’s disability. Fortunately, there’s a way that could happen. Under federal sentencing guidelines, if it can be proven that Edwards targeted Smith on account of his race, his disability, or both, he could face eight to 11 years in prison. Additionally, the mandatory restitution could potentially leave Edwards destitute. Under the circumstances, it would serve him right.
Someone besides Edwards ought to be very afraid–the ministers at Word of Faith Fellowship in Spindale, North Carolina. The fringe charismatic church has been the target of numerous allegations of abusive behavior over the years, and is now the target of a wide-ranging federal and state criminal investigation. Among other things, the church is suspected of using its satellite churches in Brazil as a pipeline for slave labor. If federal prosecutors are willing to rack up the owner of a small restaurant with such stiff charges, surely they’re willing to go after a church that has access to more resources.
Both cases offer a chance to send a stern warning–if you engage in slave labor in this country, you will be dealt with severely.
(featured image: screenshot courtesy WMBF-TV)
