White House connection in raid at East Valley company?
Reported by: Tim Vetscher
Email: tvetscher@abc15.com
Reported by: Deborah Stocks
Last Update: 9/10 6:59 pm


MCSO deputies raid Gold Canyon Candle Company

Click the play button on the video window to the right to see the story: http://tinyurl.com/5dsclz

Maricopa County Sheriff's Office deputies raided an East Valley candle manufacturing company Wednesday morning.

Video from Air15 showed deputies moving into Gold Canyon Candle Company just after 9 a.m.

According to deputies with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, 65 people were arrested.

Of those arrested, 23 face identity theft charges, 37 face illegally immigration charges and the other five had outstanding warrants, according to MSCO.

"I'm the bad guy, I should be the good guy," said Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio. "Isn't it great they're leaving if they're here illegally? I think it's a deterrent."

A release from the Sheriff's office said employees and at least one plant manager had created plans to avoid capture by immigration or law enforcement authorities that involved stalling officers long enough to destroy evidence and shut down computers.

"That intelligence was good because people did try to throw their IDs away," said Arpaio. "Some even tried to escape through a crate."

Deputies say a White House staff member was one of the victims of identity theft.

Upon hearing the news, community activists descended upon the candle company to speak out against another of Arpaio's raids.

"I think this is one of the old fashioned raids of the 1960s," said Lydia Guzman with Respect Respecto. "This is incredible this is going on in this day and age."

Company spokeswoman Rebecca Clyde told ABC15 that MCSO deputies came out this morning with a warrant for several workers regarding ID theft charges.

She said the company cooperated and let them in and deputies found the people they were looking for.

Clyde indicated that the warrant was directed toward the individuals, not the company.

"We verify every co-worker's verification," said Michael Norris, Marketing Director with Gold Canyon. "I don't know from a corporate point of view what we could have done better."

According to MSCO, Gold Canyon Candle company produces candles for 25,000 distributors nationwide.
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