WEST PAWLET, Vt. (WCAX) – A West Pawlet farm owner was cited after allegedly assaulting two farmhands during a fight.
According to Vermont State Police, 45-year-old farm owner and Pawlet select board member Richard Hulett is accused of assaulting 30-year-old Ulver Perez-Roblero and another juvenile worker who tried to intervene.
It happened on July 3rd.
Police say the confrontation started because Hulett believed someone on the farm was trying to sell drugs.
Both Perez-Roblero and the juvenile were treated for minor injuries at the hospital.
Civil rights group Migrant Justice held a gathering on July 18th where farmworkers and allies spoke out against the alleged assault.
In a statement, group members say the victims have continued to live and work at the farm, despite “the fear they feel.”
They are calling for greater protections to prevent future cases of violence against farmworkers.
Hulett was cited on two counts of misdemeanor simple assault. He will appear in court on September 23rd.