A Chesterfield County man will spend over a decade behind bars for subjecting a relative to forced labor. Federal prosecutors announced yesterday that Harmanpreet Singh was sentenced to 11 years and three months for exploiting his cousin. The 31-year-old Singh forced the man to work at his gas station and convenience store for up to 17 hours a day, nearly every day, for minimal pay for over three years. Singh's now ex-wife was sentenced to seven years and three months. Prosecutors say they lured the victim from India to the US with the false promise of an education, but instead they subjected him to physical and mental abuse to keep him working for their own profit. A Justice Department official says the sentences should send a strong message that human trafficking will not be tolerated in our communities.
The U-S-S Dwight D. Eisenhower is heading back to southeastern Virginia following an extended deployment.Preview: Governor Youngkin is signing a new law to help those with developmental disabilities access more behavioral health services. Youngkin signed the bill during a stop at the Salem YMCA yesterday. Youngkin also signed a bill that would allow remote access to public meetings and voting for those with special needs and their caregivers. Youngkin said the bills show that the state is making progress on disability access, though he says there is still more work to be done.