Drew a Straight, so here goes…

Homeland Security makes arrests related to raid at Muncie business

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/muncie-business-owner-accused-of-hiring-undocumented-workers/ar-BB1a4hgU

Muncie business owner accused of hiring undocumented workers

Seth Slabaugh, Muncie Star Press 10 hrs ago

The last COVID-free counties in America

America's most successful employee-owned companies

The Star Press (Muncie) logo Muncie business owner accused of hiring undocumented workers

MUNCIE, Ind. — Agents with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security have arrested Ignacio Chavez-Castillo, the owner of All Steel Carports, on charges that he conspired to "entice and harbor illegal aliens to work for him and laundered money through personal and company bank accounts," federal prosecutors announced Thursday.

"The vast majority of All Steel’s workforce — whether styled as subcontractors or employees — are illegal aliens encouraged to illegally enter the United States from Mexico for the purpose of later performing work for this company," Special Agent Brian Turk, of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), said in an affidavit.

In addition, Turk credited All Steel’s financial success largely "to its use of illegal alien workers. All Steel generally pays reduced wages to these illegal laborers, providing the company a competitive advantage in its industry. All Steel and its officers use the significant income generated from the labor of this illegal alien workforce to acquire real estate, vehicles, and other personal property located throughout the United States and Mexico."

The company, which was raided on Wednesday, meanwhile announced Thursday that it remains open for business and is cooperating with federal officials.

https://www.thestarpress.com/story/news/local/2020/10/14/homeland-security-conducts-raid-muncie-business/3651478001/

The company said in a news release that its "owners, management, and staff are fully committed to cooperating with law enforcement officials" in an investigation into alleged immigration-related issues.

Because the investigation is ongoing, All Steel is declining to comment further on the investigation at this time.

According to Turk, Michael Burton, who has prior federal fraud convictions, serves as All Steel’s vice president and reports directly to Chavez-Castillo.

In the fall of 2019, an employee at All Steel contacted HSI to report illegal activity at the company and became an informant.

United States Attorney David M. DeVillers, from the Southern District of Ohio, said in a news release that All Steel Carports performed several millions of dollars’ worth of work in Ohio knowingly using illegal workers.

The company also allegedly purchased trucks in Ohio for "illegal alien workers, which they titled in the names of 'straw owners,'" according to the release.

All Steel is headquartered on Granville Avenue in Muncie, and has subsidiaries in Terrell, Texas (Acero Building Components, LLC) and Muskogee, Okla. (All Steel Carports and Building, LLC). The company builds steel carports and other buildings across the United States. It recently built a new facility on Ind. 332 near Interstate 69.

>>11101668

(cont.)

The informant, or "cooperating source," indicated that "the illegal aliens manning the Texas facility live in a part of that factory equipped with beds and showers."

All Steel, including Chavez and Burton, arranged for illegal aliens whom they hired as employees or subcontractors to obtain drivers' licenses from the state of California, the affidavit asserted.

“Search warrants were conducted at the company’s facilities and multiple bank accounts have been seized, along with ten trucks used to facilitate the alleged crimes,” DeVillers was quoted saying in the news release. “The investigation uncovered that company executives allegedly paid to smuggle illegal aliens from Mexico to the United States and then used them as cheap labor on construction projects throughout the country.”

The complaint against the defendant alleges that the company engaged in "a pattern and practice of knowingly recruiting and hiring illegal aliens to serve as laborers."

The affidavit in support of the complaint says that a review of the tax forms of more than 200 company employees and subcontractors found that more than half contained invalid, fictitious, stolen or fraudulent personal identifying information.

"Based on my training and experience, I know that this volume of such information is a hallmark of a company that is intentionally employing illegal aliens," Turk said in the affidavit.

The complaint also alleges that Chavez-Castillo concealed the profits he made through the illegal activities through real estate investments and by transferring funds abroad.

Chavez-Castillo was arrested on Wednesday in Muncie and transported to Dayton, where he appeared before a U.S. magistrate judge to face the charges. The charges filed against him were unsealed on Thursday.

The complaint charges Chavez-Castillo with one count of "conspiracy to harbor and entice illegal aliens," punishable by up to 10 years’ imprisonment; "conspiracy to hire illegal aliens," punishable by up to five years’ imprisonment; and conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a 20-year maximum sentence.

Court records indicate arrest warrants were issued for witnesses or material witnesses Alejandro Gonzalez-Castro and Antonio Cortes-Santos in connection with the investigation.

DeVillers and Vance Callender, special agent in charge, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, announced the arrest and property seizures, acknowledging the cooperation of law enforcement in Oklahoma, Texas and Indiana, as well as the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana.

In its news release, the company said:

"All Steel Carports continues to be open for business and remains dedicated to providing our customers, network of dealers, and installers the same level of honest dealing, quality construction, and excellent service to which they have become accustomed.

"Since 2001, All Steel Carports has grown into a successful business servicing more than twenty states, employing more than 100 people, and investing millions of dollars into the community that we call home. During this time, we have operated legally and ethically, following all local, state, and federal laws, and will continue to do so.

"As we work with state and federal authorities, All Steel Carports remains dedicated to and would like to thank our customers, our employees and their families, and the cities of Muncie, Indiana and Muskogee, Oklahoma for their continued support."

>>11101676

>>11101668

MUNCIE, Ind. — U.S. Department of Homeland Security agents conducted a raid on All Steel Carports, 2200 N. Granville Ave., on Wednesday morning.

An agent in charge declined comment, and the company could not be reached for comment on Wednesday.

“Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), working with its state and local partners, is executing arrest warrants as part of an ongoing criminal investigation," a DHS Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) public affairs officer told The Star Press.

HSI operations last year included law enforcement in the areas of human smuggling, human trafficking, narcotics, identity and benefit fraud, child exploitation, and transnational gangs.

A towing company was removing vehicles from in front of the All Steel Carports plant Wednesday morning.

Some of the officers wore HSI jackets, an arm of DHS that investigates all types of cross-border criminal activity.

Accusation:Muncie business owner accused of hiring undocumented workers

All Steel Carports makes steel carports, garages, sheds, agricultural and commercial/truss style buildings, according to its website.

The company's website says it was established in 2001, and that its main facility and manufacturing plant are in Muncie, with a second manufacturing plant that opened in Muskogee, Okla., in 2015. All Steel Carports recently built a second Muncie-area location along Ind. 332 just east of Interstate 69.

https://www.thestarpress.com/story/news/local/2020/10/14/homeland-security-conducts-raid-muncie-business/3651478001/