By Six former members of the United Nation of Islam (UNOI) have been convicted of conspiracy to commit forced labor following a 26-day trial in Kansas. The case, which involved the exploitation of multiple minors, some as young as eight years old, spanned over a decade from 2000 to 2012.
The convicted individuals are Kaaba Majeed, 50; Yunus Rassoul, 39; James Staton, 62; Randolph Rodney Hadley, 49; Daniel Aubrey Jenkins, 43; and Dana Peach, 60. Majeed was additionally found guilty of five counts of forced labor. Two other co-defendants, Etenia Kinard, 48, and Jacelyn Greenwell, 45, had previously pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge.
According to evidence presented in court, the defendants were high-ranking members of UNOI or wives of the organization’s founder, Royall Jenkins. The group operated businesses in several U.S. cities, including Kansas City, New York City, Newark, Cincinnati, Dayton, and Atlanta.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said, “The defendants betrayed this trust, exploiting young children in the organization by callously compelling their labor.” She emphasized the department’s commitment to holding human traffickers accountable.
U.S. Attorney Kate E. Brubacher for the District of Kansas praised the victims’ bravery in speaking out about the atrocities they endured as vulnerable children.
The trial revealed that the defendants compelled labor from over a dozen victims, including minors, who worked up to 16 hours a day in UNOI-owned businesses such as restaurants, bakeries, gas stations, and a clothing factory. Victims also provided unpaid childcare and domestic services in the defendants’ homes.
Evidence showed that victims lived in deplorable conditions while defendants lived comfortably. Minors were separated from parents under false promises of education and skill development. The defendants exerted control over various aspects of victims’ lives, including communication, dress, and diet. Punishments included food deprivation, isolation, and physical abuse. Victims were instilled with fear of leaving the organization through threats of eternal damnation and social isolation.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen Cyrus stated, “Today’s convictions should serve as a stark warning that forced labor will not be tolerated by the FBI.”
Sentencing is scheduled for February 18, 2025. Kaaba Majeed faces up to 20 years in prison, while the other defendants face maximum sentences of five years each.
The case was investigated by the FBI Kansas City Field Office with assistance from the Department of Labor and New York State Department of Labor. It is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas and the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit.
Authorities urge anyone with information about human trafficking to contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
