HAMMOND | A Highland business has been implicated in an alleged scheme to harbor illegal aliens and create false vehicle registrations.

Agencia Latina, at 9219 Indianapolis Blvd., Suite 104B, was one of three Northern Indiana businesses served warrants Wednesday, court records show.

Federal authorities arrested Ramon Garcia and Rafael Ibarra-Diaz, both 38, of South Bend, and Paulino Ascencion-Apolino, 22, of Elkhart. Prosecutors charged Garcia and Ascencion-Apolino with mail fraud and conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens, and Ibarra-Diaz with illegally re-entering the United States after being deported, records show.

Beginning around the fall of 2010, Garcia and Ascencion-Apolino opened businesses helping hundreds of illegal aliens fraudulently get Indiana vehicle titles and registration documents from the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles, court records show.

According to court records, Ascencion-Apolino told a confidential informant that in addition to offices in Elkhart and South Bend, the company would open a new office in Highland in May.

The informant gave Ascencion-Apolino a fake name and address in Merrillville and $330 for registration paperwork, court records show.

Around May 4, the informant, wearing concealed audio and visual recording equipment, bought his illegal materials, records state.

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