Men charged with hiring illegal aliens

By Chris Paschenko
The Daily News
March 3, 2012
GALVESTON, TX

Two men surrendered to federal authorities Friday after they were indicted on accusations of hiring 42 illegal aliens to clean up a Kalamazoo, Mich., oil spill, the U.S. attorney’s office said.

Phillip Taylor Hallmark, 48, of Winnie, who owns Hallmark Industrial Services, and Thomas Gard, 47, of Nederland, who managed the business, were expected to make appearances Friday before U.S. Magistrate Judge John Froeschner in Galveston, the office said.

Among the allegations in the eight-count, federal indictment, the men sought to employ illegal aliens for cleanup of the 2010 spill and fraudulently completed work authorization forms on their behalf using false Social Security numbers.

The men also are accused of taking the illegal aliens from Winnie to Kalamazoo, Mich., paying them in cash and providing lodging and meals.

Men charged with hiring illegal aliens