Thread: IL-13 arrested in restaurant raid (updated)

13 arrested in restaurant raid



March 25, 2010

BY CHRISTIN NANCE LAZERUS

Thirteen people were arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents at Schererville's Paragon Restaurant on U.S. 30 and at an undisclosed residence on Wednesday morning.

About 8 a.m., agents executed a federal search warrant at the restaurant as part of an investigation. Paragon owner Michael McClellan said customers were escorted outside and the restaurant was closed for the day.

An empty parking lot and a hand-lettered sign indicated the restaurant's closed status.

McClellan said he couldn't confirm how many employees were among those detained. He said he plans to reopen the restaurant on Friday.

Gail Montenegro, spokeswoman for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said the searches were part of an ongoing criminal work site enforcement investigation. She did not disclose the location of the residence.

"Because this is an ongoing criminal investigation, no further information can be disclosed at this time," Montenegro wrote in an e-mail.

McClellan said he turned over some paperwork to federal agents.

McClellan said he bought the restaurant about 16 months ago and he's tried to resolve some of the problems.

"Apparently some of the issues are still here," McClellan said. "It's a sad day for us. The hardest thing for a business owner to do is turn away paying customers."


http://www.post-trib.com/news/lake/2121 ... 25.article

November 29, 2012
By Teresa Auch Schultz
suntimes.com

More than two years after his Schererville restaurant was raided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, an Illinois man and his wife face federal charges connected to the restaurant and a child day care business they ran.

Michael McClellan, 38, of Richton Park, Ill., plans to plead not guilty, his attorney, Scott King, said Thursday.

McClellan, who bought Paragon in 2008, is charged with one count of harboring illegal aliens at the restaurant, on U.S. 30, and in a house behind the restaurant, at 1747 St. John Road.

When agents raided the restaurant in March 2010, they arrested 13 people. McClellan said at the time he had been trying to resolve some of the problems he inherited when he took over Paragon. He is still listed as the president of Paragon Family Restaurant and Banquets.

The indictment, unsealed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Hammond, says McClellan harbored the illegal workers since at least February 2009.

He also faces three mail fraud counts connected with not reporting the illegal workers to the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, meaning that he paid less unemployment tax than he should have.

Owners of Schererville Paragon restaurant charged with using illegal workers - Post-Tribune