Illegal workers charged with ID theft
KRISTIN COLLINS
(Raleigh) News & Observer

RALEIGH --
Twenty-five immigrants filed into federal court today on charges that they stole the identities of U.S. citizens.

The defendants, 14 women and 11 men, worked at Smithfield Foods' pork processing plant in Bladen County. They have been charged with felonies and face at least two years in prison if convicted. They would likely be deported after serving their sentences.

Federal officials said that the illegal immigrants from Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras used the identities to make false claims that they were U.S. citizens and get jobs. They had a brief first appearance, during which a judge explained the charges against them and assigned them a public defender.

"Identity theft affects Americans of all walks of life," said George Holding, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina. "The prosecution of this crime cannot exclude one particular group, to wit, illegal immigrants."

Holding said the cases were the result of six months of investigation. The investigation started after U.S. citizens complained to the Federal Trade Commission that their identities had been stolen.

Assistant U.S. Attorney James Candelmo said at least two victims experienced financial losses, and one was in danger of losing subsidized housing because the income reported under her name was too high.

The suspects were arrested last week during surprise raids at their homes and at the Smithfield plant. Four other people were arrested and put into deportation proceedings, but not charged with crimes, officials said.

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