Thread: Managers at raided New Bedford company plead guilty

Managers at raided New Bedford company plead guilty
By Associated Press
Saturday, October 25, 2008 - Added 10h ago


BOSTON - Two managers at a New Bedford leather-goods factory raided last year by immigration agents have pleaded guilty to charges they employed illegal workers.

Dilia Costa and Gloria Melo, both managers at Michael Bianco Inc., won’t serve prison time if a federal judge approves the tentative plea deals.

The 56-year-old Costa pleaded guilty Friday to charges including harboring illegal immigrants. The 42-year-old Melo pleaded guilty to a charge of knowingly allowing an illegal immigrant to work at the factory

The deal would sentence Costa to two years probation, including six months home confinement. Melo would pay a $500 fine.

Both are scheduled to be sentenced in January.

The March 2007 raid detained 361 workers who were allegedly illegal immigrants. Immigrant advocates criticized the raid for separating families and leaving children without proper care.

www.bostonherald.com

Immigrant advocates criticized the raid for separating families and leaving children without proper care.

Well, it should be the company's problem to pay back the American taxpayer for not only the problem of the custody or care of the anchor babies, buy also since they have let employees in charge of hiring run roughshod over immigration laws.
And here we go again: "Immigrant advocates" to me means illegal immigrant advocates in this case. When is the press going to get on the reality thing, rather than the political thing?

What a slap on the wrist. I thought penalties were for the purpose of making criminal behavior unattractive.