Two guilty of hiring illegal immigrants
August 8, 2008

A Springfield husband and wife pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court to hiring and harboring illegal immigrants who did roofing work for them, according to John F. Wood, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri.

Dionel Barrios-Fraire, 27, a Mexican citizen illegally present in the United States, and his wife, Ana Elda Barrios, 25, of Springfield, each pleaded guilty to the charges contained in a May 7 federal indictment.

Barrios-Fraire and Barrios admitted that from February 2007 until April 2008 they aided and abetted each other to harbor illegal immigrants in vehicles transporting the immigrants to work sites, and by providing documentation and funds to the immigrants so that they could remain in the U.S. illegally.

The couple employed illegal immigrants to work on roofing jobs they performed for Taylor Made Roofing in Bolivar. They began roofing work for the company in February 2007 and continued until August or September 2007 when they moved to Colorado to find more work.

Under federal statutes, Barrios-Fraire and Barrios each could be subject to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $250,000.

Sentencing hearings will be scheduled after the completion of presentence investigations by the United States Probation Office.
http://www.news-leader.com:80/apps/pbcs ... /808080378