Agents Confiscate $1 Million Cash, 14 Weapons, Vehicles From Illegal Alien

Agents Confiscate $1 Million Cash, 14 Weapons, Large Assortment Of Vehicles From Illegal Alien Who Operated Aztec Framing

Wednesday, May 8, 2019

https://images.chattanoogan.com/2019...cle.389903.jpg

Juan Antonio Perez

Federal agents said they confiscated $1 million cash, 14 firearms and a large assortment of vehicles from an illegal alien who ran a highly profitable framing and roofing company.

Juan Antonio Perez, owner of Aztec Framing, had five different homes, including a luxurious compound at Rydal, Ga.

One of his residences was in Hixson and he had a business office in Rossville.

Perez was indicted by a Federal Grand Jury on Tuesday. He was charged with harboring illegal aliens and possessing firearms while being an illegal alien himself.

BJay Pak, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, said at a news conference in Cartersville, Ga., on Wednesday morning that Perez used illegal aliens in his business and paid them low wages. He said he provided them no benefits and never paid any payroll taxes or Social Security.

He said the way he ran the operation put Perez at a competitive advantage over legitimate business operators.

U.S. Attorney Pak said, "We are going to be very aggressive to make sure that the playing field is level for everyone."

Officials at the press conference were surrounded by vehicles confiscated from Perez said to be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Agents said a five-year investigation led to the arrest.

The firearms included eight pistols, a rifle and five shotguns.

U.S. Attorney Pak said Perez, since he is not a U.S. citizen, could not buy vehicles, guns or property in his own name, but got others to do so for him.

He and his wife, Eva Torres, came to the U.S. from Mexico in 1992 and Perez started Aztec Framing in 2009, it was stated.

U.S. Attorney Pak also said, “Perez not only broke the law by allegedly hiring illegal aliens at below-market wages and paying no taxes, he had a large assortment of weapons including shotguns and pistols that he had acquired through various means other than buying them himself. Illegal aliens, such as Perez, are not allowed to own firearms at all. We will get to the bottom of how he acquired them."

“Individuals, like Mr. Perez, who flagrantly violate federal law to give themselves an unfair business advantage are cheating both law-abiding employers and employees exploited by these unfair and illegal labor practices,” said Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations Atlanta Nick S. Annan. “This case is an illustration of serious threats to public safety on numerous levels. Homeland Security Investigations will continue to focus not only on workers who violate federal law but also their employers.”

Officials said Perez built his family a 7,500-square-foot house, bought other houses where he allowed some of his employees to live, and purchased more than 50 sports cars and heavily customized trucks. Yet, as of April 2019, the Georgia Department of Labor had no record of Perez reporting any income.

https://www.chattanoogan.com/2019/5/...n-Cash-14.aspx

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Originally Posted by JohnDoe2

Agents said a five-year investigation led to the arrest.

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So it took them 5 years to decide if he was in the country illegally, and watched him scam this country for 5 years.

UPDATE: Rossville business owner indicted following the seizure of millions in assets

A Rossville business owner has been indicted by a grand jury for alien harboring for financial gain and for being an illegal alien in possession of 14 firearms.

Tuesday, April 30th 2019, 10:44 AM EDT by WRCB Staff & Claudia Coco
Updated: Wednesday, May 8th 2019, 5:20 PM EDT

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UPDATE: Wednesday in a press conference held by Homeland Security at the Bartow County Sheriff's Office, they showed off the cars, and weapons seized in raids at five of Juan Perez's properties.

Homeland Security confiscated millions of dollars of assets when they arrested Perez, the owner of Aztec Framing. Perez, an illegal immigrant himself, was indicted Wednesday on harboring illegal aliens for financial gain and money laundering.

Investigators said that Perez was able to gain wealth by not paying any federal income taxes and underpaying immigrants, instead using the money on homes, cars and guns.

The white Denali truck confiscated is worth over $700,000, and that's only one of the cars seized.

"There was invoices for it," Special Agent in Charge Nick Annan said. "So he paid $74,000 for the vehicle, and then he put $692,000 in upgrades."

Annan with Homeland Security said it's an example of how comfortable Perez was in owning and operating an illegal business.

"You kind of look at them and watch it and think, 'Oh you think we're not watching you?" Annan said. "He knew that they were illegal. He knew that he was underpaying them, that he wasn't giving them any benefits. He knew [he] wasn't giving them justice if you will, and he was profiting from it."

Which Annan said made the case unique.

"I think this case is unique in the vehicles that he purchased.

There are a lot of individuals involved in similar activity who are making as much or more money, not all of them buy $3 or $4 million dollars in vehicles," Annan explained.

Investigators said it wasn't just those working for him that Perez was taking advantage of.

"I think when you cheat the system, the whole system suffers and when people are doing it legitimately and following the law, they should be able to play on a pair playing field," US District Attorney "BJay" Pak said.

Pak feels confident in the case against Perez.

"After he serves his sentence, he will be processed for deportation," Pak said.

Pak said additional charges could come in the future.

"We're going to make a determination based on all the evidence, on additional charges, or additional defendants will be brought and we will seek a superseding indictment if the evidence is justified," Pak said.

As for the cars Perez collected, they will go to the auction block if Perez is convicted.

"They're the ill-gotten gains in the fruit of a crime. Generally, what happens there will be procedures to forfeit the assets and they will be sold in an auction by US Marshalls," Pak said.

The proceeds from the sale could go back to law enforcement, some goes back to the treasury and some goes back to reimburse local law enforcement.

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PREVIOUS STORY: A Rossville business owner has been indicted by a grand jury for alien harboring for financial gain and for being an illegal alien in possession of 14 firearms.

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PREVIOUS STORY: The United States District Court of the Northern District of Georgia unsealed the 22-page affidavit detailing the luxurious life President of Aztec Framing, Juan Perez, was living.




Perez was arrested on multiple charges including knowingly harboring illegal immigrants for his commercial advantage and financial gain.




Tuesday, evidence of that life was towed away from the Rossville location of Aztec Framing as Homeland Security towed part of Perez's car collection away.




Federal agents point to Perez's multiple properties, bank accounts, and classic car collection, and "helpers" who worked for his company, Aztec Framing.




"The old saying is they grind slow but they grind fine. So they generally really get all the small details," said attorney McCracken Poston.




Court records show Perez and his wife Eva Torres came to the United States in 1990, illegally. He's accused of employing almost 200 illegal immigrants to build his own construction business and paying them below market wage, with no overtime or benefits, all to secure his own wealth.




Poston has no connection to the case but said the charges could spell trouble for Perez.




"From what has been alleged he has a lot of very nice expensive things, and with those come paper trails," said Perez.




Perez maintained five bank accounts and between June 2018 and January 2019, transactions totaled nearly $4.5 million dollars.




Court records show Perez owned at least a dozen cars, including a limited edition Ford Raptor, classic muscle cars, Porsches, and a Nissan GTR. All were registered under the names of his four "helpers" who are in the United States Legally.




One of the helpers stated, "They knew it was against the law for them to purchase and register vehicles for Perez, but they did so because of their friendship."




He also said that he owned a house, but had to sell it to Perez to pay the debt he generated running his restaurant.




Perez also owns multiple properties, one known as his "fun house" or "toy house" where he stores vehicles and "spends time with women other than his wife."




He also owns an additional property in Bartow County that is described as a "compound." The special agent said they had to use a helicopter for surveillance, and people that had access to the house said they had armed guards patrolling the inside wall.




"Likelihood this won't end well for Mr. Perez because again there just seems to be a very thorough investigation," said Poston.




Poston said deportation will be the most-likely outcome for Perez in this situation. It's not clear what next steps are for the people who worked for him.




Stay with the WRCB app for updates to this story.

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PREVIOUS STORY: Agents from ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation were at a Rossville address Tuesday in what is described as an 'ongoing federal investigation.'




Details are few at this time, but Channel 3 has confirmed the investigation is being led by the HSI, and that the Bartow County Sheriff’s Department is also taking part.




Agents were seen bring out a large number of boxes from Aztec Framing, located on Lafayette Road in Rossville. There are several businesses in the region with the same name.




Several vehicles, including some restored, collectible cars, were loaded onto flatbed trucks and tow trucks before being taken away from the scene of the investigation.




Agents also loaded a number of document boxes into SUVs during the course of Tuesday's investigation.

https://pbs.twimg.com/ext_tw_video_t...jpg&name=small

https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images...7VG_normal.jpgClaudia Coco@ClaudiaCocoWRCB


Cars being towed off scene now. @WRCB
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8:43 AM - Apr 30, 2019

https://www.wrcbtv.com/story/4039184...-by-grand-jury

I.C.E. News Releases

FINANCIAL CRIMES

05/09/2019

Georgia business owner, illegal alien charged with exploiting illegal workers

https://www.ice.gov/sites/default/fi...?itok=KcbChD-b


U.S. Attorney Northern District of Georgia Bjay Pak announces federal felony charges pursuant to a years-long HSI Atlanta investigation into a Mexican national illegally employing and exploiting workers across Georgia and Tennessee.


ROME, Ga. – Unlawfully present Mexican national Juan Antonio Perez, 46, was indicted on federal felony charges May 7 in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia pursuant to a years-long investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) that culminated in the simultaneous execution of six federal search warrants in Georgia and Tennessee last week resulting in the federal criminal charges issued Wednesday.

According to court documents, Perez is charged with using his construction company, Aztec Framing, which operated in northwest Georgia and eastern Tennessee, to unlawfully profit by employing illegal aliens and paying them below-market wages. This allowed Perez to undercut legitimate business competitors who were unable to compete due to his illegal business practices.

Perez is also charged with being an illegal alien in possession of 14 firearms – federal law prohibits illegal aliens from possessing firearms.

“Individuals, like Mr. Perez, who flagrantly violate federal law to give themselves an unfair business advantage are cheating both law-abiding employers and employees exploited by these unfair and illegal labor practices,” said Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations Atlanta Nick S. Annan. “This case is an illustration of serious threats to public safety on numerous levels. Homeland Security Investigations will continue to focus not only on workers who violate federal law but also their employers.”

“Perez not only broke the law by allegedly hiring illegal aliens at below-market wages and paying no taxes, he had a large assortment of weapons including shotguns and pistols that he had acquired through various means other than buying them himself,” said U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “Illegal aliens, such as Perez, are not allowed to own firearms at all. We will get to the bottom of how he acquired them.”

According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the indictment, and other information presented in court: Perez allegedly came to the United States illegally in 1992. He has lived in Bartow County, Georgia, and has operated Aztec Framing at least since 2009. Aztec Framing has offices in Cartersville and Rossville, Georgia, and Hixon, Tennessee.

Perez allegedly employed illegal aliens at below-market rates, provided no benefits or insurance, and did not pay payroll taxes or Social Security. Perez allegedly used the proceeds of his illegal activity to build a 7,500-square-foot house, bought other houses where he allowed some of his employees to live, and purchased more than 50 sports cars and heavily customized trucks. Yet, as of April 2019, the Georgia Department of Labor had no record of Perez reporting any income. Perez was also known to collect firearms and was found to have 14 in his home when agents searched it April 30.

Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

This case is being investigated by ICE Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Bartow-Cartersville Drug Task Force, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Cherokee Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad, and the Polk County Drug Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney William Traynor is prosecuting the case.

Last Reviewed/Updated: 05/09/2019

https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/ge...llegal-workers

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Originally Posted by JohnDoe2

I.C.E. News Releases

FINANCIAL CRIMES

05/09/2019

Georgia business owner, illegal alien charged with exploiting illegal workers

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Notice the title of this article "business owner" fails to say that he was an "illegal"

Notice he was "exploiting illegal workers" does not mention that he was "exploiting the tax paying citizens of this country"

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Originally Posted by stoptheinvaders

Notice the title of this article "business owner" fails to say that he was an "illegal" . . .

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Georgia business owner, illegal alien charged with exploiting illegal workers

Court date delayed for Aztec Framing owner accused of using business to harbor illegal aliens

December 17th, 2019 | by Patrick Filbin

https://media.timesfreepress.com/img...0d2773783d.jpgStaff photo by Erin O. Smith / The criminal investigation arm of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement began leading a search at Aztec Framing Contractors Tuesday, April 30, 2019 in Rossville, Georgia. Several vehicles were seen being taken from the property.

A court date has been pushed back for a man who was indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly using his business to bring in and harbor illegal aliens, and a plea agreement for him is still on the table.

A court case for Juan Antonio Perez, who owns Aztec Framing and Aztec Builders, has yet to be scheduled. Perez's attorney, Zachary Greene, said they are still in the pre-trial stages of the case.

Greene wouldn't say whether Perez is considering the possibility of a plea agreement because the case and negotiations are ongoing.

"The judge controls his schedule," Greene said. "We're working hard on the case and we're in that period of the government providing us with evidence and waiting on the court to set a trial date."

On May 7, a federal grand jury indicted Perez, who immigrated to the United States from Mexico illegally as a teenager. Homeland Security investigators seized his business records, 14 guns, assets from 11 bank accounts and $700,000 in cash.

Perez is facing two charges in U.S. District Court: bringing in and harboring illegal aliens for financial gain and possession of a firearm by an illegal alien.

In June, Perez and his attorneys filed a motion for the return of his property. The motion was denied Aug. 1 by Magistrate Judge Walter Johnson.

That same day, the court ordered the case ready for trial.
More than two months later on Oct. 9, U.S. District Judge Thomas Thrash signed an order for an "excludable delay" after the court was told the case "may be resolved without the necessity of a trial," according to court documents.

The order essentially gives Perez and his legal team more time to consider a guilty plea.

Perez was at the center of a pursuit that dated back at least six years. Homeland Security Investigations agents raided offices in Hixson and Rossville, Georgia, in June targeting Perez and his construction company for money laundering.

Perez has operated a multimillion-dollar business by underpaying immigrants who are in the United States illegally, according to an affidavit from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Special Agent James Rives. Perez is also accused of failing to withhold federal payroll and Social Security taxes.

In addition to the local offices, agents raided a Cartersville restaurant tied to Perez, as well as three Georgia homes he owns.

Perez paid a team to insulate him, according to the affidavit. Legal residents and U.S. citizens put utility bills and registered cars in their names. One man told agents he acquired a gun for Perez.

According to the affidavit, ICE pursued charges against Perez of harboring aliens for commercial advantage and illegal possession of a firearm. Because the business qualifies as "unlawful activity," Rives argued in his affidavit, any spending from the proceeds of the company amounts to money laundering as well.

https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/...aliens/510823/