Two Three Rivers residents waived preliminary examination in St. Joseph County 3B District Court this week, and were bound over to stand trial on labor trafficking charges, according to the Michigan Attorney General’s office.
Ikbahl Singh Machhal, 40, and Shila Devi, 66, were charged with human trafficking – forced labor and human trafficking enterprise in April. Each count is a 10-year felony. The two are accused of forcing a victim to move to Michigan from Pennsylvania in 2012 with the intent to work at Broadway Market in Three Rivers.
Shortly after arriving in Michigan, the victim began working at the convenience store, allegedly never receiving payment for her labor. The defendants are accused of requiring the victim to work 8 to 9 hours a day, seven days a week, against her will and under threat of severe physical, mental, and emotional abuse.
It’s alleged that this continued for approximately eight years until the victim was able to leave her home with the assistance of the YWCA Kalamazoo and local law enforcement in October 2020 following domestic violence charges against her husband, Machhal.
“For years, the victim in this case endured immense suffering while she was held in servitude,” Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said. “Her bravery in coming forward is truly inspiring. I am grateful for the victim’s courage and the collaboration between local and federal agencies and my department that allowed the case to move forward.”
A next court appearance has not yet been set.
Victims of human trafficking or those who have identified someone they think may need help can contact the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 888-373-7888 or text 233733. This is a national, toll-free hotline, that is available to answer calls, texts, and chats from anywhere in the country, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year. All calls are confidential.
CORRECTION: Shila Devi was previously identified as a man in an earlier version of this article, which was incorrect. The headline and body of the article have been updated to correct that.
