Thread: Stitching Post owner pleads guilty

Stitching Post owner pleads guilty
Fulmer admits to four federal charges involving employment of illegal aliens. He also has a 2004 conviction.
By Lou Grieco

Staff Writer

Saturday, April 14, 2007

DAYTON — The owner of the Stitching Post pleaded guilty Friday to four federal charges related to the employment of illegal aliens.

Joseph Edward Fulmer, 46, admitted to:

• Encouraging illegal aliens to come to the United States.

• Harboring illegal aliens.

• Fraud and misuse of government documents.

• Engaging in a pattern of employing illegal aliens.

"All employers, large or small, will be held accountable if they violate U.S. immigration laws," said Gregory G. Lockhart, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Ohio.

"Fraudulent use of U.S. identification documents can undermine our security efforts," Lockhart said.

Fulmer, whose store at 101 E. Alex-Bell Road was raided by federal agents March 8, will be sentenced before July 9 by Senior U.S. District Judge Walter H. Rice.

According to a statement of facts filed in court, Fulmer began making regular trips to Mexico in March 2002 and approached Mexicans about working for him.

He agreed to pay for at least four illegal aliens to travel from Texas to Dayton, where he picked them up at the bus station and took them to his home.

Last month, Fulmer took three illegal aliens on a Caribbean cruise, knowing at least one of them possessed and used fake identification to re-enter the United States, according to the statement.

As part of the plea agreement, Fulmer will forfeit all real and personal property used in the crimes, including his Centerville house, 1475 Asbury Park Place, or a $152,000 check and nearly $2,700 in cash, according to the U.S. attorney's office.

Two of the three illegal aliens have waived their right to appear before an immigration judge and will be deported to Mexico, according to a statement released Friday from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

ICE also noted that Fulmer was convicted in 2004 after he was caught smuggling an illegal alien into Texas.


Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2057 or lgrieco@DaytonDailyNews.com.








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Store owner gets prison time for employing illegals
Staff Report

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

DAYTON — The owner of the Stitching Post has been sentenced to four concurrent sentences of six months in prison for his guilty pleas to four federal charges related to the employment of illegal immigrants.

Federal agents in March raided the Centerville store, 101 E. Alex-Bell Road.

Joseph Edward Fulmer, 47, of Centerville subsequently admitted to encouraging illegal immigrants to come to the United States, harboring illegals, fraud and misuse of government documents, and engaging in a pattern of employing illegal immigrants.

Court documents claim Fulmer began regular trips to Mexico in March 2002 and approached Mexicans about working for him. He agreed to pay for at least four illegal immigrants to travel from Texas to Dayton, where he picked them up at the bus station and took them to his home.

Senior U.S. District Judge Walter H. Rice, who sentenced Fulmer on Monday, also ordered three years of supervised release on each count to be served concurrently.

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