Vashon Island landscaping company owner to spend 20 years in federal prison

VASHON ISLAND, Wash. — Jesus Ruiz-Hernandez, a Vashon Island resident and owner of Brothers Landscaping, has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for human trafficking, labor trafficking, and money laundering.

Ruiz-Hernandez was found guilty of 21 felonies in January 2024, for using his business to lure people from Mexico to work.

“His business model was premised on enticing vulnerable persons from Mexico to come to the United States to work for his company – and then exploiting them by forcing them to work for him for little to no money while using their debts and immigration status to keep them tethered to him as his source of cheap labor,” U.S. Attorney Gorman said.

A closer look revealed that Ruiz-Hernandez was using smugglers to bring victims from his hometown of Vista Hermosa, Michoacan, Mexico with the false promise of a better life for the victims and their families. In exchange, Ruiz-Hernandez would then charge them for housing, food, and other expenses.

Ruiz-Hernandez and his brother deposited money earned from their victims’ labor into their bank accounts. Some of the money was then wired to Mexico or used to purchase properties on Vashon Island.

Authorities seized his properties after he was convicted.

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