Thread: IN: Janco facing charges in raid

January 28, 2009

Janco facing charges in raid
Federal case accuses company of concealing illegal immigrants.

By YaVONDA SMALLS
Tribune Staff Writer

MISHAWAKA — Janco Composites — the site of a major immigration raid in 2007 — has been charged with concealing aliens not authorized to work in the United States from detection by government authorities.

That is a felony under the laws of the United States.

Douglas Jaques, president, is charged with "continuing to employ, as a pattern and a practice, undocumented aliens at Janco Composites, Inc.," according to a release Tuesday from the Department of Justice.


The Department of Justice said Janco hired and employed aliens from 2004 through March 6, 2007. On the morning of March 6, 2007, 36 workers were arrested in a raid at Janco on suspicion that they were undocumented.

Janco did not return The Tribune's phone call for comment Tuesday. According to the company's Web site, Janco, located at 920 S. Logan St., is housed in an 80,000-square-foot plant where more than 250 employees make Fiberglas-reinforced plastic products for a variety of industries.

During the 2007 raid, more than 50 agents came from the Chicago office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The agents used a warrant that allowed them to interview the workers, check their records, then arrest the 36. Of those arrested, 16 were male, 20 were female, and two were from El Salvador, ICE reported.

Early after the raid at Janco, roughly half a dozen of those arrested agreed to be deported, and one Mexican man was released because someone had already petitioned for legal status for him. The rest posted bond to get out of jail and were seeking ways to better their legal situations, which included returning to Mexico.

The charges involving Janco were filed as a result of an investigation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Worksite Enforcement, the Department of Labor and the Social Security Administration.

Also participating in the investigation were the South Bend and Mishawaka police departments.

The case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara Z. Brook. Janco and Jaques will enter their pleas of guilty before the Honorable Robert L. Miller Jr. at 9:30 a.m. Monday, said the Department of Justice.

The judge will determine the specific sentences to be imposed upon conviction after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

www.southbendtribune.com

Wooooo Hoooooo another business owner is busted ...

enough with the fines, bring on the trial with a jury of unemployed American jury members

Originally Posted by AirborneSapper7

Wooooo Hoooooo another business owner is busted ...

enough with the fines, bring on the trial with a jury of unemployed American jury members

Now THAT would be interesting!

Usually I would try to avoid jury duty but I'd want to be on that one.