RAYMOND, Miss.–Nine undocumented workers will likely be deported after they serve time for identity theft. They were arrested last week after a bust at American DairyCo in Raymond and are charged with purchasing fraudulent social security cards, said Atty. Gen. Jim Hood.
Eduardo Lopez-Cardona, 22; Irvin Mejia-Saavedra, 26; Ramiro Saniago-Monilo, 25; Guillermo Garcia-Cruz, 39; Ludin Maudiel Hernandez-Vasquez, 25; Porfirio Rodriguez-Jimenez , 37; Elvir Molina-Ramirez , 40; Carlos Benigno Garcia-Perez, 20; Juan Jose Chacon-Ramirez, 34, were being held without bond after a Monday court appearance because they are considered a flight risk.
They are from Guatemala and Mexico.
Hood said the men were run through the E-Verify system, but did not register as illegal because they had social security numbers that looked legit.
Now the investigation will likely turn to where they got the cards..
“This case is a great example of the significance of our federal partnerships,” said Hood. “We appreciate our great working relationship with Homeland Security Investigations”.
The investigation was conducted by the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division as a member of the Homeland Security Investigations Task Force.
“Fraudulent documents threaten our nation’s security by making it easier for criminals to hide in plain sight and commit a range of offenses,” said Jerry Templet, Acting Deputy Special Agent in Charge of HSI New Orleans. “Further, stolen identity documents create a potential nightmare scenario in which citizens could be held responsible for criminal acts committed by aliens possessing fraudulent identity documents in their names. This investigation shows HSI and its state partners will continue to investigate and seek prosecution of these cases wherever they occur.”
Officials with American DairyCo, where the defendants worked, cooperated with investigators. Once the state charges are resolved, the defendants will be released to ICE custody.
