Police arrested a Hillsboro, Oregon, man on Tuesday for allegedly forcing a man with developmental disabilities to sell drinks and snacks outside a Hillsboro shopping center.
Jack P. Hauser, 47, faces likely charges of human trafficking, involuntary servitude, criminal mistreatment and failing to register as a sex offender after he profited from exploiting a 26-year-old man, the Hillsboro Police Department alleged in a statement on Friday.
Hauser was convicted of third-degree rape in 2003, according to court documents.
The victim was forced to perform labor for Hauser for two years after the victim’s mother died, police said. Hauser, who is not a relative, stepped in as the man’s caretaker — but exploited him instead, according to the statement.
Police said Hauser frequently made the victim sell snacks at the shopping center for days at a time without shelter or appropriate clothing. When the victim was home, Hauser allegedly made him sleep in a car or a garden shed.
The victim did not have access to running water or electricity, police said.
Court documents say Hauser destroyed the victim’s government ID and threatened to withhold basic necessities to coerce him into compliance.
“Human trafficking can take many forms,” police said in a statement. “We ask the community to contact the police if you believe someone may be a victim.”
Police thanked community members who reported their concerns to police, as well as Open Door Housing Works, which provided a place for the victim to live in the wake of Hauser’s arrest.
Hauser is expected to appear in court next Thursday.
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