Thread: Nebraska woman pleads guilty to hiring illegals

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?news ... 5106&rfi=6 -Honey

Honey Creek woman pleads guilty to hiring illegal workers
Nicole Weis, Staff Writer
01/13/2007

HONEY CREEK - A Honey Creek woman has pleaded guilty to immigration violations after a search warrant revealed she knowingly hired several illegal aliens to work for a fabrication company where she also worked.


Donna Lake, human resources director at Plastrglas Inc. in Omaha, pleaded guilty to "engaging in a pattern and practice of hiring and recruiting unauthorized aliens for employment in the United States" on Friday.

According to a news release issued by the United States Attorney's Office, in October 2006 Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Omaha received a tip from a confidential informant that Plastrglas Inc., located at 4200 N. 30th St. and 3123 Spaulding St. in Omaha, was involved in the hiring and employment of undocumented workers.

On Nov. 15, 2006, ICE agents placed a recording device on another confidential informant and sent the person to speak to Lake regarding his status. The informant was given a letter to show Lake stating that the Social Security Administration had determined his current social security number was not valid, according to the news release.

The informant then asked Lake to change his SSN in company records.

Lake refused, according to the release, citing that the law wouldn't allow the number to be changed. Lake did question why the informant didn't obtain a "real" SSN. She also asked if the informant was "afraid of going to immigration and whether he was afraid that they would kick him out of the country."

"Lake then stated she would pretend that their conversation never happened," according to the release.

On Dec. 5, 2006, search warrants were executed at both Plastrglas Inc. locations. ICE agents arrested 30 undocumented workers and transported them to a detention center.

Evidence seized in the search included a Social Security Administration letter sent to Lake, listing 26 SSNs of employees whose names and SSNs did not match current records.

Further review of records obtained by ICE officials confirmed several Plastrglas Inc. employees' names and SSNs had changed over the years to allow them to continue working. Some violations dated back to 1999, according to the release.

Lake's sentencing date is set for March 30. Engaging in a pattern and practice of hiring and recruiting unauthorized aliens for employment in the United States carries a possible penalty of up to six months in prison, a $3,000 fine per unauthorized alien, a $50 special assessment and up to five years probation.

Lake could not be reached for comment as of press time.

Plastrglas Inc. entered a guilty plea to concealing, harboring or shielding from detection aliens knowing, or in reckless disregard of the fact, that the aliens had entered or remained in the United States in violation of the law. The charge carries up to a $500,000 fine and a $400 special assessment fee.

Manager, company sentenced for hiring illegal immigrants
By The Associated Press
Friday, Mar 30, 2007 - 11:30:38 pm CDT
OMAHA — An Omaha personnel director was sentenced Friday to three years probation, a $9,000 fine and 500 hours of community service for hiring and recruiting illegal immigrants at Plastrglas Inc.

Donna Lake, 46, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to engaging in a “pattern and practice” of hiring and recruiting illegal immigrants. She faced up to six months imprisonment, a $3,000 fine per illegal immigrant and up to five years of probation.

The company, which manufactures architectural shapes from plaster that is reinforced with glass fibers, also pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years probation and ordered to pay $101,000. That includes a $51,000 fine, $45,000 to the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and $5,000 in costs to the United States Marshal’s office.

The charges stem from a federal investigation and raid of the Omaha-based company by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials Dec. 5. Officials arrested 30 people on suspicion of being illegal immigrants during the raid; all were taken to an ICE detention center.

Plastrglas pleaded guilty to knowingly concealing, harboring or shielding illegal immigrants from detection. The company could have been fined $500,000.

According to the U.S. attorney’s office, the investigation of Plastrglas started when someone who interpreted for Spanish-speaking workers tipped off immigration officials to conversations between Lake and employees about changing names and Social Security numbers on employment records.

A later investigation showed employees were hired under one name and social security number but over the years changed their names, social security numbers or both and were allowed to continue working for the company.

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