Warning: This article contains disturbing details.
An Orillia man accused of exploiting and threatening more than a dozen workers from Mexico fired another lawyer on the eve of his human trafficking trial in Barrie.
Juan Rodriguez-Miranda, who also goes by the name Jamie, delayed what was supposed to be a six-week jury trial for at least another year.
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Rodriguez-Miranda, 62, with the assistance of a Spanish interpreter, told the court he got into an argument with defence lawyer Stephanie Marcade and fired her.
He had already postponed his first scheduled trial last spring, when he cut ties with a different lawyer.
He has been behind bars for 42 months and continues to receive credit for time served in pre-trial custody at a rate of one and half times the actual number of days he’s in jail.
He is accused of trafficking the vulnerable workers from Mexico by subjecting them to deplorable living conditions and wages.
Police said a total of 15 people, between 21 and 54 years of age, were rescued from what investigators described as “inhumane” conditions.
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Rodriguez-Miranda was charged with 21 counts of human trafficking and materially benefitting from the trafficking of persons.
He was arrested following a months-long investigation by the OPP. Police said at the time of his arrest, in March 2023, that Rodriguez-Miranda falsely promised the foreign workers jobs at his subcontracting company JJUL’S Enterprises Inc. out of Orillia.
The workers told police the accused offered them work permits, training, housing and a salary, alleging Rodriquez-Miranda provided the workers two homes with dirty, inadequate sleeping conditions, placing multiple people in small spaces or sharing a bed: forcing them to sleep in shifts.
They told police they had to ration food to survive.
Investigators alleged the workers received partial or no payment and claim the accused threatened they would be arrested or deported if they went to police.
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It is also alleged Rodriguez-Miranda threatened the safety of their families back in Mexico.
The accused returns to a Barre courtroom next week to determine what happens next in the case.
The allegations against him have not been tested in court.
