Thread: MD-Firm owner guilty of hiring illegal immigrants

Firm owner guilty of hiring illegal immigrants
Faces up to 15 years and $500,000 in fines
By SCOTT DAUGHERTY, Staff Writer
Published 04/24/09

The owner of Annapolis Painting Services pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday to knowingly employing illegal immigrants and then laundering the proceeds from that unlawful activity.

Robert Bontempo Jr., 47, of Annapolis' Bay Ridge community, faces up to 15 years in prison and $500,000 in fines when sentenced Sept. 4 in U.S. District Court in Baltimore, where yesterday's proceedings were held.

"If we want to give law-abiding businesses a fair chance to compete, it is essential that we prosecute employers who profit by hiring illegal aliens off the books," U.S. Attorney for Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein said in a prepared statement.

Bontempo, who remains free until sentencing, forfeited a large portion of those profits yesterday. Prosecutors said that when Bontempo entered into the plea agreement, he agreed to give up seven homes, 10 vehicles - many of which are used by his painting crews - and more than $26,000 in five separate bank accounts.

A woman who answered the phone at Bontempo's home yesterday afternoon declined to comment about the plea agreement and forfeiture. Bontempo's criminal defense attorneys, David Zinn and Steve Fuzesi, did not return calls for comment.

County Executive John R. Leopold praised prosecutors for securing the conviction, as well as the federal government's decision to focus its attention on employers who hire illegal immigrants.

"The message should go out from all corners that illegal means illegal," he said, stressing that it is even more important now, in light of the flagging economy and rising unemployment, for employers to make sure they are hiring legal citizens.

Leopold said he hopes the successful prosecution will mean "significant revenue" for the county. Marcia Murphy, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office, said local and state law-enforcement officials stand to receive 80 percent of the property Bontempo forfeited after mortgages, liens and vehicle loans are paid off.

Bontempo's guilty plea comes almost 10 months after federal agents raided the painting company's Annapolis-area offices as well as 15 area homes while investigating his hiring practices.

According to the plea agreement, Bontempo knowingly employed significant numbers of illegal immigrants - up to 24 at times - from 2003 through 2006. He admitted to knowing these workers were not allowed to work in the United States and did not require them to provide proper documentation.

Bontempo paid the illegal immigrants in cash until 2005, when he started to pay them by check. After reviewing his books, prosecutors noted Bontempo did not report more than $3.6 million in payments during the four years in question.

A preliminary estimate by the Internal Revenue Service puts the company's tax deficiency at more than $1 million. As a condition of Bontempo's eventual probation, he will set up a payment plan with the IRS, according to the agreement.

About 50 county police officers helped 75 federal agents conduct early morning raids in and around Annapolis on June 30. In all, they arrested 46 people, claiming they were all in the country illegally.

Officials with CASA de Maryland, a Silver Spring-based immigrant advocacy group, said most of those who were arrested were released on bond and are awaiting hearings. Justin Cox, a civil rights specialist with CASA, said some agreed to leave the country without a fight and three remain in federal custody in Texas.

The criminal case was just one legacy of the raids.

CASA is investigating the role county police played in the raids after hearing numerous claims of racial profiling and home invasions by officers. CASA filed a lawsuit against the county on Oct. 29, seeking documents regarding its involvement in the raids. That lawsuit is still pending.

A group of former employees filed a separate lawsuit against Bontempo and Annapolis Painting Services in October, alleging the company violated federal and state wage laws by not paying overtime. The workers also allege the company made illegal deductions from employee paychecks, forcing them to pay for tools and materials. That lawsuit also is still pending.


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"The message should go out from all corners that illegal means illegal," he said, stressing that it is even more important now, in light of the flagging economy and rising unemployment, for employers to make sure they are hiring legal citizens.

My Hero !!!!