Thread: Feds Move to Seize $4.7M from Painting Business Owner

FEDS MOVE TO SEIZE $4.7M FROM PAINTING BUSINESS OWNER

Investigation continues into alleged hiring of illegal immigrants

By SCOTT DAUGHERTY, Staff Writer
Published November 09, 2008


Federal and county authorities want to seize more than $4.7 million in cash, cars and homes belonging to the owner of Annapolis Painting Services.

The seizure proceedings are on hold while federal agents investigate whether Robert Bontempo Jr. harbored and employed illegal immigrants in violation of federal law, according to documents filed in U.S. District Court in Baltimore.

Marcia Murphy, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office, said Friday that Mr. Bontempo's bank accounts remain frozen and liens remain filed against his homes while the forfeiture hearings are pending. That way, she said, he can not sell or give them away.


SEISURE LIST
Address Assessed value

30 Pleasant St, Annapolis $122,730
Blackwell Road Lot 18, Annapolis $137,120

Blackwell Road Lot 21, Annapolis $111,000
670 Central Ave., Davidsonville $671,080
17 Hill Street, Annapolis $408,280
1009 Carrs Road, Annapolis $171,940
1010 Carrs Road, Annapolis $204,640
98 Clay Street, Annapolis $132,070
96 Clay Street, Annapolis $124,030
3 Rosecrest, Annapolis $270,130
402 Harbor Drive, Annapolis $336,880
1007 Carrs Road, Annapolis $312,650
25 Bancroft Ave., Annapolis $1,284,230
31 Arbor Hill Road, Annapolis $277,870
2044 Parker Drive, Annapolis $181,480


No charges have been filed against Mr. Bontempo - more than four months after Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents raided his business and numerous homes in and around Annapolis on June 30 while investigating several of his employees. The agents arrested 46 people during the raids, saying all of them were in the country illegally.

Mr. Bontempo did not return calls for comment Friday about the possible seizure of his $1.28 million Bay Ridge home on Bancroft Avenue and 14 others he owns in Anne Arundel County.

U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein began the seizure proceeding the day of the raids, but asked to suspend the forfeiture hearings July 18 pending the criminal investigation. A judge placed the seizures on hold the following week.

If the federal government succeeds in seizing the property, Anne Arundel County hopes to profit.

According to county police documents, Lt. Eric Hodge filed paperwork on behalf of the department Aug. 11 seeking some of the proceeds should the federal government actually seize the 15 county homes, a 2004 Porshe Cayenne, a 2002 Mercedes Benz, eight GMC vans and $31,316.37 in cash.

"By filing these particular forms Anne Arundel County is preserving its interest to a portion of any assets forfeited," said County Attorney Jonathan Hodgson, explaining the paperwork.

Ms. Murphy said the county and state law enforcement officials will receive 80 percent of the seizures - after mortgages, liens and car loans are paid off. That money may be used to purchase equipment, she said.

The county released its seizure paperwork Oct. 29 in response to a Public Information Act request originally submitted by CASA de Maryland. The Capital received a duplicate packet Oct. 31.

The homes, only a few of which were raided by federal agents, are located in the city, in Bay Ridge, on the Broadneck Peninsula and in Davidsonville.

According to state property records, the properties are assessed between $111,000 and $1.28 million.

Many of the homes are occupied. The Bontempos continue to live on Bancroft Avenue and new tenants live in some of the homes on Arbor Hill Road, Rosecrest Drive and Carrs Road.

Those residents who spoke to The Capital on Friday said they moved into the homes after the immigration raids. They were not aware of the federal government's plans to seize their homes.

County Executive John R. Leopold announced shortly after the early morning raids on the offices of Annapolis Painting Services and 15 county homes that about 50 county police officers assisted 75 federal agents in rounding up the suspected undocumented workers.

"This will send a very strong signal that this administration, with the cooperation of ICE, will not tolerate the hiring of illegal immigrants in this county," he said June 30 while standing across the street from the painting company's building.

According to a county breakdown of the raids - officially called Operation "Touch Up" - 36 county officers helped serve warrants.

And those officers who participated in the raids played only a supporting role. Lt. Hodge indicated in the seizure paperwork the county did not supply "any unique or indispensable assistance."

The breakdown said uniformed officers were posted outside each house while plainclothes detectives were on hand to seize contraband discovered in the houses.

Col. James Teare Sr., chief of county police, said at the time officers were pulled from other details in all areas of the department to help with raids.

According to county documents, the department devoted 450 man hours to the operation. One detective worked 29 hours of overtime in preparation for the raids at an hourly rate of $45.09 and a total cost of $1,307.58. The county, however, sought to have the federal government reimburse it for that overtime.

CASA de Maryland, a Silver Spring-based advocacy group, is investigating what role county police played in the raids after hearing numerous claims of racial profiling and illegal home invasions. The group also wants to know how much the raids cost Maryland taxpayers.

CASA filed a lawsuit Oct. 29 against the county seeking documents regarding the county's involvement in the raids. The county says it fulfilled the public information request that day, but the lawsuit is pending.

The lawsuit mentions "widespread allegations" that officers entered homes without warrants, interrogating individuals without reasonable suspicion they were in the country illegally, engaged in racial profiling and "needlessly and maliciously" destroyed property.

Scot R. Rittenberg, an assistant special agent for ICE, said in June the tactics were justified.

"We never know what's behind that door," he said. "Often (in immigrant raids) we've opened the door and found guns pointed at us. We never know if it's MS-13 gang members or just illegal immigrants."

A group of former employees filed a federal class-action lawsuit against Mr. 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 pending.

Justin Cox, a civil rights specialist with CASA, said of the 46 people arrested during the raids, most are out on bond awaiting hearings. He said some agreed to leave the country without a fight and four remain in federal custody in Texas.

Immigration continues to rise in Anne Arundel County and across the nation. Census figures show Anne Arundel's foreign-born population grew 32 percent from 23,211 in 2000 to 30,748 in 2006.

Local economic development officials have said there are perhaps about 175,000 workers in Maryland illegally, representing about 6 percent of the workforce.

Staff Writer Elisabeth Hulette contributed to this article.

http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bi ... _09-67/TOP

Wooooooooooooooo Hoooooooooooooooooooo ... if you cheated and hired Illegal Aliens it's time to pay

All the rest of you corrupt business owners that hire Illegals... we want your ALL of your possessions and it's time to go to jail

WOW I'm totally shocked!! That crooked business owner is sooooo busted!! Hooooray for our side!!!!!!

This is more of the type of immigration enforcement that Democrats would like---just flatten out the entire business. Oh well, at this point I could care less. Maybe we could pay off the national debt this way.

Originally Posted by Captainron

This is more of the type of immigration enforcement that Democrats would like---just flatten out the entire business. Oh well, at this point I could care less. Maybe we could pay off the national debt this way.

Sounds like a plan to me!

It's good to bust them for doing this, but it won't pay off the national debt, or even pay it down.

That was sarcasm. But at this point I no longer would care what happens to the businesses. But they still need to round up the ilegals, themselves, and send them home.