Thread: TX-Managers at Houston firm indicted in federal immig case

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Managers at Houston firm indicted in federal immigration case
By DALE LEZON
June 3, 2010, 10:09AM


Five managers, including two from Spring, of a Houston-based company have been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly conspiring to unlawfully employ illegal immigrants, officials announced Wednesday.

The managers for IFCO Systems North America are charged with offenses related to illegal immigration and employment-related practices, federal officials said.

All five have pleaded not guilty. They were indicted May 24 in Houston.

The charges are the latest in the federal government's sweeping case against IFCO. Officials began investigating IFCO following a tip to ICE in February 2005 that illegal immigrants at an IFCO plant in Albany were seen ripping up their W-2 forms. In April 2006, ICE agents arrested 1,187 illegal immigrants at more than 40 locations nationwide including Texas.

In 2008 the federal government reached a record-setting, nearly $21 million settlement that allowed the pallet company to avoid criminal prosecution for hiring illegal workers.

The recent indictments include Christopher Tiesman, 41, and Kenneth Gines Jr., 52, both of Spring; Charles Davidson, 47, of San Antonio; Haskell “Buddyâ€

well Finally holding the big bosses accountable for their hiring.

ABOUT DAMN TIME

[quote="FedUpinFarmersBranch"]
The recent indictments include Christopher Tiesman, 41, and Kenneth Gines Jr., 52, both of Spring; Charles Davidson, 47, of San Antonio; Haskell “Buddyâ€

Did the illegal aliens get deported or did they get a free pass? I think both the employers and the illegal aliens should be prosecuted.

Official ICE Press Release

http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-201747.html

Originally Posted by miguelina

Did the illegal aliens get deported or did they get a free pass?

My guess is No. The D-word is not in 'Bama's vocabulary. These are, as he so often reminds us, people who played by his rules for undocumented Democrats.

State Police to get $2M

Payment results from federal settlement with company that hired illegal immigrants

By Brendan Lyons Senior Writer
Updated:07:58 p.m., Tuesday, January 11, 2011

ALBANY -- State Police are expected to receive about $2 million this week from a federal settlement with a Houston-based company that employed thousands of illegal immigrants at its pallet-making plants across the country.

The investigation of IFCO Systems North America began in February 2005 when law enforcement authorities in Albany received a tip that immigrant laborers at an IFCO plant in Guilderland were tearing up their W-2 tax forms.

In April 2006, following an investigation spearheaded by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the largest workplace raid in U.S. history took place at 40 IFCO plants in 26 states, including New York.

That month ICE agents arrested 1,181 immigrants classified as illegal aliens by the U.S. government.

In December 2008 federal prosecutors in Albany, where the investigation was centered, reached a record $20.7 million corporate settlement with IFCO.

Under the settlement the company agreed to pay $2.6 million in back pay related to overtime violations. The settlement also includes more than $18 million IFCO agreed to pay to support law enforcement activities. Part of that money will be given to State Police later this week. Details won't be released by the U.S. Attorney's office until Thursday, a person familiar with the matter said.

The case has resulted in at least 11 IFCO managers pleading guilty to federal charges related to hiring illegal immigrants.

Last April, a federal judge in Albany granted a request to move the pending criminal case of five IFCO managers to Houston over the government's objections. In May the five managers, who are residents of Texas and Florida, were re-indicted in Houston on charges they unlawfully employed illegal aliens. Their trial is scheduled to begin in May.

Two federal prosecutors from Albany, Tina Sciocchetti and Sara Lord, are scheduled to travel to Houston for the trial.

The government said its investigation documented that several IFCO managers and employees harbored and transported illegal aliens, and encouraged them to remain in the United States illegally as pallet workers.

For three years before the 2006 raids as many as 6,000 illegal aliens worked at IFCO pallet plants, officials said.

ICE officials said as far back as 2000 IFCO received repeated notice from the Social Security Administration and other agencies about irregularities in the social security numbers used for employment purposes by pallet workers.

http://oneoldvet.com/

www.timesunion.com

Originally Posted by jean

State Police to get $2M

Payment results from federal settlement with company that hired illegal immigrants

In April 2006, following an investigation spearheaded by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the largest workplace raid in U.S. history took place at 40 IFCO plants in 26 states, including New York.

For three years before the 2006 raids as many as 6,000 illegal aliens worked at IFCO pallet plants, officials said.

That's 6,000 Americans kept out of work by one company. Yikes.
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