Thread: Construction company owner charged with harboring illegal al

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Published March 1, 2007

Construction company owner charged with harboring illegal aliens

News-Leader Staff

The owner of a Springfield construction company was charged in federal court today with harboring illegal aliens.

Santiago Lopez-Gomez, 28, a citizen of Mexico who lives in Springfield, is charged with harboring six illegal aliens from Mexico in apartments he rented in Ozark, according to a press release issued by the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri.

Lopez-Gomez — himself an illegal alien — hired the six others to work for his construction company, S.L. Primo’s Exteriors, according to court documents filed in the case.

Lopez-Gomez allegedly paid for housing for the illegal workers in the Fremont Hills Town Home Community in Ozark, the release said.

Ozark police arrested Lopez-Gomez and four of the illegal aliens on Feb. 27 while investigating a motor vehicle accident.

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An illegal alien charged harboring illegal aliens? Why in the heck wasn't he also charged for being in the country illegally?

I smell a PAYOFF!!

Owner of Ozark construction company pleads guilty to harboring illegal aliens

Amos Bridges
© 2007, Springfield News-Leader



The owner of an Ozark construction company, himself an illegal alien, pleaded guilty today to harboring six other illegal aliens who worked for him.

Santiago Lopez-Gomez, 28, a citizen of Mexico living in Springfield, pleaded guilty in federal court in Springfield, according to a press release issued by the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri.

Lopez-Gomez, the owner of S.L. Primo�s Exteriors, admitted he hired six illegal aliens from Mexico to work for the company and rented three town homes for them in Ozark.

Lopez-Gomez was arrested Feb. 27, along with four of the illegal employees, following a motor vehicle accident in Ozark.

As part of the guilty plea, Lopez-Gomez agreed to forfeit to the government $73,247 � all of the money in his business bank account � which he admitted was obtained by employing illegal workers.

A sentencing hearing has not been set. Under federal law, Lopez-Gomez faces up to 30 years in federal prison without parole and a fine up to $1.5 million.


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