Thread: NC: 14 enter immigration pleas

14 enter immigration pleas
By Venita Jenkins

RALEIGH — More than half of the illegal immigrants arrested in August on suspicion of identity theft have entered pleas in federal court.

Some have been sentenced to a year in federal prison. After serving their time, they will face deportation, according to court records. Others are awaiting sentencing.

Agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 25 illegal immigrants Aug. 22 during raids in Cumberland, Bladen, Hoke and Robeson counties. They were current or former employees of Smithfield Packing Co. in Bladen County.

They pleaded guilty to fraud and misuse of visas, permits and other documents.

Two of the women who were arrested were released to receive medical attention. One is pregnant. Four immigrants were detained and were being deported.

Richard Rocha, a spokesman with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, could not be reached for comment about the status of those being deported.

Here are the judgments of those who have entered pleas:

• Juan Francisco Morales-Baltazar was sentenced Oct. 17 to six months in prison with credit for time served. He must pay a $100 special assessment.

• Rufina Martinez-Paz was sentenced Oct. 17 to time served and must pay a $100 special assessment.

• Silviano Patricio-Venegas was sentenced Nov. 6 to one year and a day and was placed on three years supervised release. He must pay a $100 special assessment.

• Hildiberta Hernandez-Sanchez was sentenced Nov. 6 to one year and a day and was placed on three years supervised release. He must pay a $100 special assessment.

• Alfredo Gonzales-Avilez was sentenced Nov. 13 to one year and one day and placed on three years supervised release. He must provide probation officials with access to any requested financial information, and he can’t incur any new credit charges or open any additional lines of credit without the approval of the probation office. He also must submit to a urinalysis test within 15 days of release from prison, among other conditions. He also has to pay a $100 special assessment.

• Joel Lucas-Hernandez was sentenced Nov. 13 to three months with credit for time served. He was placed on supervised release for two years and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment.

• Elodia Reyes-Cruz was ordered on Nov. 14 to undergo a psychological and psychiatric examination to determine her mental competency to stand trial. A hearing on the issue is set for Jan. 22 in U.S. District Court in Wilmington.

The following people entered pleas Nov. 13 and Nov. 14 but have not been sentenced: Maria Reyes-Rojas, Evaristo Hernandez-Rodriguez, Alejandro Tapia-Mojica, Lidia Nieves-Rodriguez, Jose Ramirez-Martinez, Ana Rosalva-Avila and Martina Delacruz-Leyva. They could face a year and a day in prison.

Of the 11 men and 14 women arrested, 22 are from Mexico, two are from Guatemala and one is from Honduras.

Court records state ICE agents found evidence of identity theft. Most of the suspects were charged with using other people’s Social Security numbers to gain employment.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office has said that some of the victims whose Social Security numbers were used suffered financial losses up to $10,000 each and damaged credit. In one case, a victim’s Social Security wages were being reported at a level that made the person ineligible for subsidized housing.

ICE officials have been reviewing names of Smithfield employees for more than a year.

ICE has conducted two different targeted arrests of suspected illegal immigrants over the past year. The first was in January when 21 workers were arrested at the Tar Heel plant. They were arrested on administrative immigration charges such as being in the U.S illegally or overstaying a work visa.

Staff writer Venita Jenkins can be reached at jenkinsv@fayobserver.com or (910) 738-9158.
http://oneoldvet.com/?p=3781#more-3781
http://www.fayobserver.com/article?id=278593

Am outraged!!!

RALEIGH — More than half of the illegal immigrants arrested in August on suspicion of identity theft have entered pleas in federal court.

Some have been sentenced to a year in federal prison. After serving their time, they will face deportation, according to court records. Others are awaiting sentencing.

Agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 25 illegal immigrants Aug. 22 during raids in Cumberland, Bladen, Hoke and Robeson counties. They were current or former employees of Smithfield Packing Co. in Bladen County.

They pleaded guilty to fraud and misuse of visas, permits and other documents.

Two of the women who were arrested were released to receive medical attention. One is pregnant. Four immigrants were detained and were being deported.

Richard Rocha, a spokesman with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, could not be reached for comment about the status of those being deported.

Here are the judgments of those who have entered pleas:

• Juan Francisco Morales-Baltazar was sentenced Oct. 17 to six months in prison with credit for time served. He must pay a $100 special assessment.

• Rufina Martinez-Paz was sentenced Oct. 17 to time served and must pay a $100 special assessment.

• Silviano Patricio-Venegas was sentenced Nov. 6 to one year and a day and was placed on three years supervised release. He must pay a $100 special assessment.

• Hildiberta Hernandez-Sanchez was sentenced Nov. 6 to one year and a day and was placed on three years supervised release. He must pay a $100 special assessment.

• Alfredo Gonzales-Avilez was sentenced Nov. 13 to one year and one day and placed on three years supervised release. He must provide probation officials with access to any requested financial information, and he can’t incur any new credit charges or open any additional lines of credit without the approval of the probation office. He also must submit to a urinalysis test within 15 days of release from prison, among other conditions. He also has to pay a $100 special assessment.

• Joel Lucas-Hernandez was sentenced Nov. 13 to three months with credit for time served. He was placed on supervised release for two years and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment.

• Elodia Reyes-Cruz was ordered on Nov. 14 to undergo a psychological and psychiatric examination to determine her mental competency to stand trial. A hearing on the issue is set for Jan. 22 in U.S. District Court in Wilmington.

The following people entered pleas Nov. 13 and Nov. 14 but have not been sentenced: Maria Reyes-Rojas, Evaristo Hernandez-Rodriguez, Alejandro Tapia-Mojica, Lidia Nieves-Rodriguez, Jose Ramirez-Martinez, Ana Rosalva-Avila and Martina Delacruz-Leyva. They could face a year and a day in prison.

Of the 11 men and 14 women arrested, 22 are from Mexico, two are from Guatemala and one is from Honduras.

Court records state ICE agents found evidence of identity theft. Most of the suspects were charged with using other people’s Social Security numbers to gain employment.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office has said that some of the victims whose Social Security numbers were used suffered financial losses up to $10,000 each and damaged credit. In one case, a victim’s Social Security wages were being reported at a level that made the person ineligible for subsidized housing.

They are guilty of entering this country illegally, fraud, and idenity theft and received light sentences, $100 fines, some placed on 2- 3 years supervised released, one sentenced to drug testing & no credit card use, and another to mental testing. Outstanding individuals!!!!!

Some have been sentenced to a year in federal prison. After serving their time, they will face deportation, according to court records. Others are awaiting sentencing. --WHY DON'T ALL FACE DEPORTATION AFTER SERVING THEIR SENTENCE?

After prison, some face 2-3 years supervised release (parole) without deportation(?) Our taxes will be paying for these illegals to have parole officers when they should have been deported after serving their prison time. How are these people going to work during their 2-3 years supervised release without some form of government papers, green card or the like????

Thinking.......a form of punishment, a fine, and supervised release.... IS THIS THE BEGINNING OF THE PATH TO CITIZENSHIP FOR THESE CRIMINALS OR AMNESTY?

We can't allow courts to sentence illegals to supervised release. They have to be sentenced to deportation!

"The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican form of Government, and shall protect each of them against invasion." Article IV Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution.

Originally Posted by MyAmerica

Am outraged!!!

They are guilty of entering this country illegally fraud, and idenity theft and received light sentences, $100 fines, some placed on 2- 3 years supervised released, one sentenced to drug testing & no credit card use, and another to mental testing. Outstanding individuals!!!!!

The fine for not wearing your seatbelt here in NYC is $90 for Cristsakes!

Misuse of a Social Security number is punishable by a maximum five years' imprisonment and fines of up to $250,000.

Somebody needs to find out WHY these people are getting away with a wrist slap! This is absurd....a $100.00 fine. You get more than that for going 5 mph over the speed limit or littering!!!

They are being given light sentences. Instead of being deported as illegal immigrants they are being placed under 2-3 years probation. They are apparently free to live in the US without fear of deportation.

AMERICAMS DEMAND DEPORTATION NOT PROBATION FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS!

"You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time."
Abraham Lincoln

What I am wondering is why Smithfield isn't being held accountable for their actions?

loneprotester wrote:

What I am wondering is why Smithfield isn't being held accountable for their actions?

Who is Smithfield?

“To stand in silence when they should be protesting makes cowards out of menâ€

Smithfield Meat Co. and it's associated packing plants

OK is there a N.C. here that knows exactly what is going on with these Illegals in this report and why they are not being deported ?

I am ticked too and want to complain but I feel I need more info to do so and get that pregnant IA deported before she drops anchor !! I would guess she is the one acting crazy just to buy birthing time !

What a total travesty! Why on earth would a country lessen criminal penalties for illegal aliens? If anything, illegal aliens should have harsher penalties.