Lawyers ask stay to ready defense

BY MICHELLE BRADFORD

Posted on Friday, February 29, 2008

Lawyers for two Acambaro restaurant operators charged with harboring illegal immigrants and money laundering are seeking a trial delay in order to analyze and translate evidence and find witnesses who’ve been deported to Mexico.

Brothers Arturo Reyes Jr., 35, of Rogers and Armando Reyes, 33, of Lowell are scheduled for trial March 10. Their attorneys filed a motion Thursday in U. S. District Court in Fayetteville seeking to delay the trial by at least six months.

Supporters of the four defendants in the case continue to file affidavits seeking bond for the brothers.

The Reyeses have been held without bond since the Dec. 10 raid at Acambaro Mexican restaurants in Benton and Washington counties.

The brothers, along with Silvia Reyes — Arturo’s wife — are charged with harboring illegal immigrants as employees and with money laundering. A fourth restaurant operator, Lucila Huaracha, 33, of Rogers is charged with harboring illegal immigrants.

The two women are free on bond. All four defendants are suspected illegal immigrants.

In late January, members of Catholic, civic and charity groups filed affidavits seeking bond for Arturo and Armando Reyes. The documents describe the brothers as moral, law-abiding family men who’ve lived in Northwest Arkansas more than 15 years. They state the men aren’t flight risks.

Last week, eight Benton County residents filed affidavits pledging their homes as collateral for bond. They are Arturo and Berta Hernandez; Jesus and Angelica Socorro; Lorena and Lane Larson, Alicia Gutierrez and Maria Zazueta.

“The affidavits show these men are exemplary citizens — so much so that people in both the Anglo and Hispanic communities are willing to put up their homes as collateral,â€