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09-26-2007, 06:38 PM #1
Democratic Party official arrested for harboring aliens
Democratic Party official arrested by federal agents
The Associated Press
A member of the Louisiana Democratic Party's central committee has been arrested by federal agents who accused him of harboring aliens, his defense attorney said Wednesday.
Lenny Dartez, the husband of state Rep. Carla Dartez, a Democrat representing the Morgan City area, was taken into custody Tuesday at his business, said Dartez's attorney, Mike Skinner. Dartez employs labor crews in the area, Skinner said.
Dartez was named in a federal complaint issued by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and taken to a federal magistrate in Lafayette, who released him on his own recognizance, Skinner said.
No formal charges had been filed. Skinner said he could not discuss the case further.
"He insists he is innocent and looks forward to being vindicated if charges are brought," Skinner said.
Carla Dartez, who is seeking her third term from the House's 51st district, has drawn three opponents: Republican Joe Harrison, Democrat Estelle Mahoney and Democrat Nick Morris.
http://www.houmatoday.com/article/20070 ... /709260920
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09-28-2007, 12:31 PM #2
Husband of State Representative
File Photo: Lenny Dartez
State Representative Carla Dartez
Husband of State Representative Arrested
A State Democratic Party leader from Saint Mary Parish is free on bond after being arrested for allegedly harboring illegal immigrants.
The case involves Lenny Dartez, the husband of State Representative Carla Dartez.
The investigation started with an anonymous complaint that a group of undocumented workers were employed out of an office on Ford Industrial Road in Amelia. Agents with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement office (I.C.E.) began surveillance of the workers in May. That work led to Dartez's arrest Tuesday, September 25th. Dartez made his first appearance in Lafayette Federal Court later that same day.
Court documents obtained by TV 10 at the Federal Courthouse in Lafayette provide more specific information about the case. First, the arrest stems from an investigation of Dartez's company listed in the records as Winston Service Contractors.
Next, court records state the company employed five undocumented workers from the island of Trinidad.
And finally, the records indicate that, before the arrest, a van owned by the company was stopped. Investigators say the van was transporting workers to a job site, including the five from Trinidad.
Transportation vans could be seen at the Winston office Thursday. After the stop earlier this week federal agents arrested the workers and began the process of having them removed from the country. The Winston office which, agents say, also serves as a bunkhouse is located among several other industrial businesses. The owner of a company next door says Winston often provides unskilled, laborer type employees.
The workers in the case were booked and processed out of the I.C.E. Office in Houma.
A spokesperson for the Louisiana Democratic Party says Lenny Dartez's position on the party's central committee remains unchanged, for now.
Dartez's attorney, Mike Skinner of Lafayette, says his client believes he will be cleared in court.
Mike Steele
http://www.klfy.com/Global/story.asp?S=7136061
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