Nine arrested in Columbia County raid remain in jail

By Summer Moore Staff Writer
Saturday, Nov. 5, 2011 8:34 PM

Eight men and one woman were still waiting at the Columbia County jail Saturday night to be handed over to federal authorities.

The nine arrests were made during a raid at 2021 Grace Ave. in Evans Friday evening by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office and representatives of the FBI, IRS and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The owner of the $1.7 million, 11,500-square-foot home, Hugo Diaz, and his wife, Blanca Miranda De Diaz, were among those arrested. According to the Better Business Bureau, Diaz owns De La Fuente construction in Grovetown.

The seven other men arrested are Arturo Domiinquez-Suaste, Reyes Fredrico Lopez-Garcia, Jesus Vazquez-Trejo, Carlos Suarez Ortega, Rigoberto Loza-Marquez, Estaban Jarquin-Esteba, and Heris Francisco Medina-Ramires. Addresses were not listed, nor were charges.

According to Columbia County Lt. Ben Groves, they are being held for the U.S. Marshall.

Sheriff Clay Whittle said Friday there were raids at three houses in Columbia County and one in Richmond County, but all the addresses haven’t been released.

Information regarding the raid is under a sealed federal indictment and could possibly be available within a few days, Whittle said. The arrests were handled through ICE, he said.

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