Thread: AL: Elmore County couple sentenced, fined for immigration vi

November 1, 2008
Elmore County couple sentenced, fined for immigration violations

By Don Fletcher
Progress staff writer


A federal judge in MontgomÂ*ery sentenced a Tallassee man and woman to serve three years each on probation and to pay fines and penalties totaling more than $165,000 for violaÂ*tions of federal immigration laws.

The couple was charged with hiring nearly two dozen undocuÂ*mented immigrants to work in a family business and with harÂ*boring, concealing or sheltering the illegal workers.

U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson ordered Octavio TreÂ*jo Patino and his wife, Rhonda Baird, to serve three years each on probation, according to U.S. Attorney Leura G. Canary.

Patino was also ordered to pay a fine of $125,000 and an asÂ*sessment fee of $100, while Baird was fined $5,000 and ordered to pay a criminal penalty of $36,000 and an assessment fee of $10.

The sentences stemmed from an investigation launched in 2006 by the Tallapoosa County Sheriff's Office in response to reÂ*ports of "suspicious activity" at the couple's Tallassee home, known locally as "The ComÂ*pound."

Sheriff's investigators, aided by agents of the Alabama BuÂ*reau of Investigation and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division, deÂ*termined that Patino had built houses for and provided equipÂ*ment and money to several illeÂ*gal aliens "in an effort to hide their presence from law enforceÂ*ment," Canary said.

The joint investigation also led to the discovery that Baird, the owner of Rapid Drywall, emÂ*ployed the illegals to install dryÂ*wall in residential and commerÂ*cial projects across the southeastern United States.

Court documents show that a federal search warrant was exeÂ*cuted on Oct. 12, 2006, at The Compound. Authorities identiÂ*fied 23 illegal aliens and immeÂ*diately initiated deportation acÂ*tion against them.

Patino and Baird were arÂ*rested by federal agents, who also seized several vehicles, an undisclosed amount of cash, several business and personal bank accounts, and homes, land and other property valued at more than $1 million, according to official reports.


www.prattvilleprogress.com

Things are looking up!

US Employers BEWARE, exploiting poor, illiterate illegal aliens as cheap labor and thereby hurting US citizens WILL cost you everything.

Your "cheap labor" has consequences and won't be so cheap anymore.