SEPTEMBER 17, 2015

Former Twin Peaks owner pleads guilty to hiring illegal workers



Le Grande Tetons has sold or is selling the Twins Peaks branch that is the subject of the federal lawsuit. It’s located at 8310 E. 21st St. N. in Wichita. Julie Mah The Wichita Eagle

BY AMY RENEE LEIKER
The Wichita Eagle

The company that owned and ran a Wichita Twin Peaks restaurant caught employing illegal immigrants pleaded guilty to charges Thursday in federal court.

A lawyer for Le Grande Tetons, LLC, entered the plea on the company’s behalf Thursday before U.S. magistrate Judge Gwynne Birzer in Wichita, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said. Birzer imposed a $50,000 fine, he said noting that companies or people caught in a pattern or practice of employing unauthorized aliens can be fined up to $3,000 per worker.

Under a agreement that set forth the fine amount, prosecutors in exchange for a guilty plea agreed not to pursue any more charges against Le Grande Tetons, its owners or employees — current or former — except for two former managers who remain under investigation, Grissom said.

Le Grande Tetons has sold or is selling the Twins Peaks branch that is the subject of the federal lawsuit. It’s located at 8310 E. 21st St. N. in Wichita.

The Twins Peaks location came under scrutiny after an inspection in September 2013 by the Department of Homeland Security found the company was employing more than 20 unauthorized workers, most in its kitchen.

The manager there agreed to fire the workers immediately but Homeland Security later received information indicating several of the same workers had been rehired.

Authorities executed federal search warrants at both Wichita Twin Peaks locations in July.

Reach Amy Renee Leiker at 316-268-6644 or aleiker@wichitaeagle.com. Follow her on Twitter: @amyreneeleiker.

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