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Update: Janitorial contractor to admit to charge after raid

1:08 PM Thu, Oct 16, 2008 |
Maria Armental    Email

The operator of a Johnston janitorial company targeted in state courthouse immigration raids in July will plead guilty to hiring undocumented foreign workers, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced today.

Vincent D'Elia, an operator of Falcon Maintenance Company, was charged yesterday in a one-count information alleging that D'Elia engaged in a pattern and practice of hiring aliens for employment, knowing that those aliens were not authorized for employment in the United States, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

D'Elia's agreement to plead guilty to the charge was filed in conjunction with the information, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

Falcon Maintenance was one of two companies that contracted with the Rhode Island Judiciary for janitorial services at state courthouses. Immigration and Custom Enforcement agents and Rhode Island State Police raided several state courthouses on July 15, taking several alleged undocumented foreign workers into custody. Four of them face federal criminal charges that are pending.

In exchange for the guilty the guilty plea, the government agreed to not prosecute D'Elia for willful evasion of FICA taxes (Federal Insurance Contributions Act) for failing to "accurately and truthfully withhold and pay over FICA taxes" from the pay of undocumented workers between Jan. 1, 2004 and July 15, 2008.

If convicted, D'Elia could face up to six months in prison and a fine of $3,000 for each unauthorized worker.

Four of the workers arrested face federal criminal charges.

Several of the workers have requested asylum or other legal relief.

Rhode Island Secretary of State's Office corporation documents list Falcon Maintenance Co.'s principal office to D'Elia's home address at 160 Winsor Ave. in Johnston.

Several weeks after the courthouse raids, however, The Journal located Falcon's business office at 952 Plainfield St. in Johnston, listed in state records as the business address of Tiger Soap Inc. The documents list D'Elia as Tiger Soap's officer.

A "Falcon" sign was posted on the front door of that one-room office, and a man who declined to identify himself said he was accepting work applications for Falcon. Bottles of Tiger Soap products, vacuum cleaners and mops crowded a narrow adjacent hallway.

Thomas Connell, spokesman for U.S. Atty. Robert Clark Corrente, said today he would not speculate on whether future charges are in store for the owners of TriState Enterprises, the other company implicated in the immigration raids.

"The agents and the prosecutor who produced these charges [against Falcon] are still at work," Connell said.

 
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Comments

Roland said:

This makes me so happy that I think my eyes will be weepy in a moment.

So sad, so sad, so sad for the owner of Tri-State. I bet within days we'll hear about his plea.

Here's what should happen.

Both owners should pay a per-employee fine set forth by HSA which is like $16K.

Then, both owners, should lose their license to run ANY type of business here in RI and then be put on a persona non grata list nationwide, kind of like a sex offender list to warn other states of their activities.

Link | October 16, 2008 10:11 AM
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Arthur said:

No offense but shouldn't the feds be investigating
wall Street and trying to figure out how these executives almost bankrupted the entire World? Not just the USA but the entire world!!!! I'll tell you why,they are afraid tobecause it will expose what really went on. Never mind torturing a guy who hired illegal aliens. What a joke.

Link | October 16, 2008 6:08 PM
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BYRON said:

ITS FUNNY HOW ALL THE RACISTS COME OUT OF THE WOODWORK ON THINGS LIKE THIS. THEY COMPLAIN, "OH THE ILLEGALS ARE TAKING OUR JOBS." YET ITS JOBS THAT NONE OF THEM WANT TO DO. I WOULDN'T BE HERE IF TWO ILLEGALS DIDN'T MEET IN THIS COUNTRY. I WOULDN'T HAVE DEFENDED THIS COUNTRY IN TIME OR WAR IF IT WASN'T FOR TWO ILLEGALS. SO NO DONT COMPLAIN ABOUT ILLEGALS TAKING JOBS WHEN YET YOU WOULDN'T WANT TO DO THEM YOURSELVES. ALL THOSE ILLEGALS WORKED HARD WASHING DISHES, PICKING UP TRASH, WORKING IN FACTORIES, DOING THE JOBS YOU WOULDN'T DO. WHERE WERE ALL THE LINES OF CITIZENS AND RESIDENTS AT TRYING TO APPLY FOR THESE JOBS? I AM PROUD TO BE A SON OF TWO ILLEGALS. ISN'T THAT WHAT THIS COUNTRY WAS FOUNDED ON? YET WE HEAR THE RACISTS (AND YES THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE) TELL THEM TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY. WE ALL WONDER WHY OTHER COUNTRIES HATE US. ITS BECAUSE OF BACKWARD-MINDED PEOPLE WHO HAVEN'T PROGRESSED ENOUGH TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS SOCIETY NEEDS TO FLOURISH.

Link | October 16, 2008 6:22 PM
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Suzette said:

NO, this country was not founded by ILLEGALS! It was founded by people looking for religious freedom. Learn your American history!

Link | October 16, 2008 11:06 PM
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David said:

Did you mean to say that this country was founded by IMMIGRANTS? They were actually LEGAL immigrants, not illegal aliens sneaking into this country.

Link | October 16, 2008 11:08 PM
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JD said:

Byron

I thank you for your service to our country. As a member of the armed forces you swear to uphold the laws of this country and protect its sovereignty. Illigel aliens are law breakers. The US was founded by immigrants who came here legally. The illegals steal identities, commit fraud and steal services from taxpayers. There are legal channels for them to enter the country. Maybe they do jobs that most Americans would not like to do, but that doesn't make there law breaking any less offensive. Call me a racist if you will, I call myself a law abiding American.

Link | October 17, 2008 7:40 AM
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c said:

I agree with Byron... I wonder if the Indians asked the Pilgrims for their "status" when they ate Thanksgiving dinner together...hmmm

Link | October 17, 2008 1:30 PM
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