Four people from Washington state have been charged by a federal grand jury with fraud and exploitation related to the H-2A visa program. The indictment alleges that Francisco Rodriguez Martel, his wife Esmeralda Rodriguez, Erica Cisneros, all from the Tri-Cities area, and Giovanna Sierra Carrillo of Yakima were involved in unlawfully bringing over 500 temporary foreign workers into the United States.
According to the fifty-one count superseding indictment returned on February 11, 2026, Rodriguez-Martel, Cisneros, and Carillo conspired to obtain H-2A visas by submitting false information to several federal agencies. They claimed that about ten agricultural farms in Yakima and Benton Counties needed temporary foreign labor during the crop seasons of 2022 through 2024. The defendants operated under the business name “Harvest Plus” and submitted fraudulent paperwork to agencies including the United States Department of Labor, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, and United States Department of State.
The indictment states that they misrepresented job locations, hours, wages, and agreed to provide food, housing, safety equipment, fair wages—including overtime—and coverage for injury or illness. These actions allowed them to secure hundreds of illegitimate work visas.
Once workers arrived in Eastern Washington based on promises of legal employment with adequate housing and food as well as paid travel expenses and predictable work conditions, many found themselves performing unauthorized domestic labor. The indictment claims some worked overtime without pay under extreme heat without access to clean water or proper protection from pesticides. Some were housed in overcrowded facilities lacking kitchen amenities. Rodriguez-Martel allegedly imposed illegal fees for housing and food.
Additionally, it is alleged that Rodriguez-Martel and Esmeralda Rodriguez threatened workers with immigration authorities if they reported these practices. Rodriguez-Martel also allegedly threatened their physical safety.
Department of Labor Inspector General Anthony P. D’Esposito commented: “The Office of Inspector General is unwavering in our commitment to protect the integrity of the Department of Labor’s Foreign Labor Certification programs. When bad actors exploit vulnerable workers or attempt to game the system, we investigate, we expose, and we hold them accountable. At the same time, we safeguard the U.S. employers who follow the law and play by the rules. We will continue working with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to ensure these programs serve legitimate labor needs — not criminal enterprises. Fraud will not be tolerated. Accountability is not optional.”
Pete Serrano, First Assistant United States Attorney said: “The importance of this case cannot be understated,” adding: “When the United States Attorney’s office receives credible information from investigating agencies that stand as the basis for immigration fraud, we will charge these cases. The United States Attorney’s office will protect these vulnerable victims and the integrity of a vital federal programs, including the H-2A program which is critical to Eastern Washington’s agricultural successes.”
Officials emphasize that these charges are accusations only; evidence must still be presented at trial before guilt can be determined.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Courtney R. Pratten, Jeremy J. Kelley, and Tyler H.L. Tornabene are prosecuting this case following investigations by both Department of Labor Office of Inspector General and Department of State Diplomatic Security Service.
