Utah Church Accused Of Forced Labor
http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/6705999/detail.html
A rehabilitation program at a church is facing allegations it forced
people to work as telemarketers for 28 cents an hour under the threat
they could go back to jail.
The state Department of Human Services, which investigated the program,
notified the House of Refuge on Thursday that it had 10 days to explain
itself before its license would be revoked and the program shut down.
The men were sent to the program by judges or state agencies for
substance abuse rehabilitation. A department report said they were paid
about 28 cents an hour, but even those wages were withheld and donated
to the church.
Most of the men in the program have since been pulled out, officials
said. It was unclear if anyone remained in it Friday.
"They've already found other placements or have gone back home or have
been pulled out by their probation officers," said Ken Stettler,
director of licensing at the Department of Human Services. "I don't
think they've got too many left, but they wouldn't let us in today."
Steve Sandlin, one of the pastors at Central Christ Church, said he was
preparing a response and did not have an immediate comment.
State Department of Commerce Executive Director Francine Giani said the
Division of Consumer Protection also found that the telemarketing
company was not registered as a business in the state. She said Sandlin
was told two weeks ago to shut it down or register it. The company had
not been registered as of Thursday.
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"The power of the Executive to cast a man into prison without formulating
any charge known to the law, and particularly to deny him the judgement of
his peers, is in the highest degree odious and is the foundation of all
totalitarian government whether Nazi or Communist." -- W. Churchill, Nov
21, 1943 (Or whether Christofascist Republican.)
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