Thread: Apartment owners indicted for housing/hiring in Lex., KY

http://kfire.us/REntal-Jail.htm

Dear Friends,

Today (March 7th) was an awesome day in Lexington, Kentucky. The snow didn't phase me, as I was riding on a cloud since I heard Sue Wiley, a local talk-show host, relate the story of the Lexington Apartment owners being indicted for hiring and housing illegal aliens! Not only that, but at least 60 illegals were apprehended! Folks, do you realize what this means? I do! This is a first real victory in a series of victories to come in Lexington, KY. This is why I joined KFIRE! Kentuckians for Immigration Reform and Enforcement - http://kfire.us) This enforcement of our immigration laws is what we're about! Let us all give thanks to God! This was truly an awesome day! Rejoice with us!

Let us also put our heads together to come up with ways to encourage the I.C.E. agents in our respective areas. I'm thinking "thank you" cards, cakes, cookies, signs, a march, anything to show our gratitude and support for their actions in our cities. We want them to continue on in their work to enforce the laws. There are many officials in local or state governments that are like thorns in their sides, but we want them to know that there are many citizens behind them. Please think up some ideas to give thanks today.

Sincerely,

Doug Roy - President of KFIRE
email me at info@kfire.us

The following article may be the one that goes with your story, had to do a search on "kentucky.com" to find the story, I guess they did not want it to be easy to locate. Very interesting article and it includes a poll that you may want to help by selecting "YES".

Advocates for immigrants said they fear the case could have a "chilling effect" on other landlords, leaving immigrants with few options for places to live.
http://www.kentucky.com/211/story/339638.html

Rentals prompt federal charges
TENANTS SAID TO BE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS
By Valarie Honeycutt Spears
VHONEYCUTT@HERALD-LEADER.COM

David Stephenson/Lexington Herald-Leader
Cross Keys Apartments is one of two complexes in Lexington owned by William Jerry Hadden and Jamey Hadden. Photo by David Stephenson | Staff


Should landlords be held accountable if they rent to illegal immigrants?


Yes

No

Yes 271
79%
No 73
21%
Total Votes: 344
Your vote has been counted, thank you for voting.

A father and son who own two large Lexington apartment complexes have been ordered to appear in U.S. District Court Friday to answer charges that they rented to at least 60 illegal immigrants and hired two without documentation to work for them.

A 32-count federal indictment charges William Jerry Hadden and Jamey Hadden with harboring illegal immigrants from 2000 to November 2007 at the Woodridge Apartments and Cross Keys Apartments. Both complexes are located off Versailles Road in an area heavily populated with Hispanic immigrants.

Most, if not all, of the 60 tenants named in the indictment are facing deportation, and several of them have been charged criminally with illegally entering the United States, said Lexington immigration attorney Rachel A. Newton.

Advocates for immigrants said they fear the case could have a "chilling effect" on other landlords, leaving immigrants with few options for places to live. The case is the "local manifestation of a national policy shift" on the part of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials to target landlords, employers, and other people who knowingly harbor illegal immigrants, according to Newton.

Chicago-based ICE spokesperson Gail Montenegro confirmed the agency's focus on those who harbor illegal immigrants, saying, "It's a priority."

The Haddens hired two men who they knew were illegal aliens to work at their apartment buildings, according to the indictment. Those men, whose identities are not revealed in the indictment, are cooperating with prosecutors, says the indictment, which was filed Feb. 29.

One man worked as an apartment manager, the indictment says, and the other worked in maintenance but helped with leasing apartments.

The indictment alleges that once the Haddens began renting to illegal immigrants, they changed their rental policies and quit requiring credit checks, proof of identification and Social Security numbers.

Previously, tenants not having documentation were rejected, the indictment alleges.

Also, the indictment says that the Haddens circumvented a Kentucky Utilities policy of requiring customers to provide Social Security numbers. The Haddens would have all the bills sent to the apartment building office and then distribute the bills to individual tenants, the indictment says.

"I've never heard of local landlords being held accountable when the people they rented to were illegal aliens," said Tucker Richardson, a Lexington attorney representing William Jerry Hadden.

"We are going to aggressively defend it," Richardson said.

The indictment says that Jamey Hadden, at one point, resided overseas. Jamey Hadden's current location was unclear Thursday.

The Haddens face up to 30 years in prison, up to $750,000 in fines, and the forfeiture of the two apartment buildings.

Woodridge Apartments on Alexandria Drive has 85 units, and Cross Keys Apartments on Cross Keys Road has 80, according to the indictment. The indictment also charges the Haddens with money laundering in connection with receiving rents.

Other landlords and employers have been prosecuted in the Eastern District of Kentucky for harboring illegal immigrants recently, said U.S. Assistant Attorney Dave Marye. But Marye said Thursday that this is the first case he's aware of in the past few years of Lexington landlords being prosecuted.

Richardson said the Haddens were not arrested, but received a summons to appear in U.S. District Court Friday for an arraignment.

Immigration Attorney Wally Ahmad, Newton's law partner, said he thinks the indictment is intended to send a warning to anyone who employs or rents to illegal aliens.

"It would appear to me," said Ahmad, "that if they can indict one landlord, other landlords will be afraid of doing it."

Ron Wagoner, who described himself as a friend of Jerry Hadden, said that ICE was selectively enforcing immigration rules.

"It's not like he's the kingpin," a major employer of illegal aliens in Lexington, said Wagoner.

"They would have more impact if they went after people in the equine industry, the restaurant industry, and the landscape and construction industries. Everyone knows there are probably illegals working there."

Landlord pleads not guilty
RENTERS ALLEGEDLY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS
Herald-Leader Staff Report
Posted Sat. March 8th, 2008
A Lexington landlord facing federal charges of harboring illegal immigrants entered a not-guilty plea in court Friday morning.

William Jerry Hadden made his first appearance in federal court since he and his son, Jamey, were indicted for harboring illegal immigrants from 2000 to 2007 at the Woodridge Apartments and Cross Keys Apartments. Both complexes are located off Versailles Road in an area heavily populated with Hispanic immigrants.

Jamey Hadden did not appear before the court because he is currently living in Vietnam. Officials said that Jamey Hadden had not been served with the indictment yet.

In court, William Jerry Hadden waived a formal arraignment and entered a not guilty plea.

U.S. District Judge Karl Forester set a trial for May 12. Assistant U.S. Attorney Frances E. Catron-Malone asked William Jerry Hadden to surrender his U.S. passport because he has a relative who lives out of the country.

A trial date has been set for May 12th at 9:00 a.m. If convicted, Hadden faces a maximum prison sentence of 20 years.

Hadden, who left the courtroom flanked by his attorney and a close friend, declined to comment further on the charges. His attorney, Russell Baldani, also declined comment.




William Jerry Hadden left the federal courthouse in Lexington yesterday after pleading not guilty to harboring illegal immigrants. Photo by Pablo Alcala | Staff of Herald-Leader