Poultry Plant Employees Charged With Hiring Illegal Aliens

(Missouri does what Arkansas needs to do)
By Marcus Kabel
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Seven employees of poultry processor George's Inc. were arrested Wednesday on federal charges of hiring illegal aliens at a Southwest Missouri plant that was raided by immigration authorities in May. John F. Wood, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Missouri, said the indictments and arrests show that no one is above the law when it comes to hiring illegal workers. The seven defendants are all employees of a George's processing plant in Butterfield, about 60 miles southwest of Springfield. All seven were involved in hiring or supervising employees at the plant, Wood said.

"This is an active and ongoing investigation," Wood said at a news conference. He declined to say if that investigation includes whether people higher up in the privately owned company are suspected of knowing about the illegal hiring. Springdale-based George's did not immediately respond to phone calls and e-mail requests for comment from The Associated Press. Immigration agents and police raided the Butterfield plant in May. They arrested 136 people -- mainly from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador -- on suspicion of being illegal immigrants. Prosecutors said most of the defendants charged Wednesday were expected to be released on bail. None have yet had a hearing where they could enter a plea.

Those named in the charges are Guadalupe Castro, 32, of Verona; Brad Vansandt, 48, and Dora Ruiz, 32, both of Monett; Jody Salinas, 29, and Billy Essley, 41, both of Cassville; Gary Creed, 31, of Washburn; and Hilda Gomez, 35, hometown unknown. Wood said prosecutors would ask that Ruiz be held without bail because she is on probation for a drug conviction in New Mexico. All seven were indicted by a federal grand jury on two counts each related to hiring and harboring illegal immigrants. Those charges are felonies that each carry a maximum 10 years in prison.

In addition, Castro, Gomez, Salinas, and Ruiz were each charged with aiding and abetting aggravated identity theft for allegedly helping illegal immigrants use valid Social Security numbers from other people. Wood said that felony charge carries a maximum two year sentence that must be served on top of any other term.
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George's claims that they will "cooperate" with the investigation. Yet when the Butterfield Plant was raided in May, the illegal-hiring company issued a press release claiming that don't practice hiring illegal aliens. I'm proud of ICE and the State of Missouri for going after this company, but since our State Attorney General Dustin McDaniel works for the Hillary Clinton Campaign, it's unlikely that there's going to be any legal action from Arkansas. Hopefully, we can change that in 2008.

Some facts about George’s Inc.
(not much info since it's a private company)

George’s Incorporated
(right next to the Sprindale Municipal Airport!)
701 Porter Ave Springdale, AR Map
(479) 927-7500 or (479) 238-1482
http://www.1800arkansas.com/reports_publications/files/Industry%20Lists/Food_and_Kindred_2006.pdf
George's, Inc. Phone 479-524-0400
Mr. Monte Terry, General Manager
Fax: 479-524-4413
14825 Russell Road
Springdale, AR 72761

Gene George, Chairman of the Board of George's, Inc.
(can't find much about him, no website)
Gary George is Vice Chairman and CEO of George's, Inc., a privately owned poultry company in Springdale, Arkansas. (Found a little bit about him)
This data is from a list of Springdale, AR Political Contributions by Individuals.
http://www.city-data.com/elec/elec-SPRINGDALE-AR.html
-GEORGE, GARY(GEORGE'S INC)(Zip:72765) $1000 to FRIENDS OF BLANCHE LINCOLN 06/09/03
-George, Gary C. Mr.(George's Inc./President)(Zip: 72764) $1000 to NATIONAL CHICKEN COUNCIL POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE(FKA) NATIONAL BROILER COUNCIL PAC 02/09/04
-GEORGE, GARY(GEORGE'S INC)(Zip:72764) $1000 to FRIENDS OF BLANCHE LINCOLN 08/01/03
There are other contributions made to the Republican Party, but the list does not confirm that they are from George’s Incorporated. In any case, it is obvious that George's Inc. does not need guest workers since it is able to make political contributions.