Blanca Diaz pleaded guilty Wednesday to entering the United States illegally and was sentenced to the three months she has served in jail since her arrest in November.
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U.S. District Judge Randal Hall ordered Diaz to be immediately turned over to immigration officials with a recommendation for deportation to her native Mexico.
Diaz and her husband, Hugo Diaz, were indicted on federal charges of harboring illegal immigrants, money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection with the money they made using illegal immigrants as workers for their Evans-based construction businesses.
Hugo Diaz pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of harboring an illegal immigrant and will remain in federal custody until sentencing at a future date. He also faces deportation to Mexico.
Blanca Diaz did not plead guilty to any of the five counts against her on the indictment, but pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor information accusing her of entering the country illegally. That reduced her maximum sentence from 50 years to six months in prison. The indictment will remain open until the seven others who are listed resolve their charges of illegally entering the country.
Hall eventually accepted the plea bargain Wednesday but asked Assistant U.S. Attorney David Stewart to help him with some “questions and reservations.”
“I consider illegal entry very serious,” Hall said.
Stewart said Blanca Diaz shared the business bank accounts with her husband but did not play as large a role in the conspiracy as he did. Stewart added that the Diaz couple are also losing most of their property, including a $1.7 million home and several vehicles, to forfeiture.
“We went aggressively after as many assets as we could,” Stewart said.
Blanca Diaz said through her attorney, Carl Lietz, that she loved the United States and felt safe. But she’s ready to return to Mexico after nine years and has no plans to come back, Lietz said.
No wonder undocumented aliens come here! Come here,break our laws,make millions on enslaving other undocumented aliens,and be sent home with your millions. Ain't it great?!?
Until there are enforced consequences for breaking the law crime will continue to escalate. Three months of my tax dollars feeding her, housing her, taking care of her medical needs and now off she goes to enjoy the money they sent back to Mexico in anticipation of being "caught".
Knowing this outcome....how many more illegals will head this way?
Don't forget they payed taxes everyear using false SS numbers and the Goverment took all of their assets in the US. In this case I think the
taxpayers came out ahead, unless they keep Hugo in jail for very long.
jbartley,what about the millions they sent back to mexico anticipating their deportation? I guess that was their reward for being such law abiding criminals!
De La Fuentes Construction vehicles had an Atlanta phone number that went nowhere. They were actually based in Chula Vista, CA where that phone number was unanswered. Twelve man crew. Mostly young men. Worked from 7am until dark seven days a week. No portable toilet, no trash bin. Multiple generators and a boom box. No breaks except Sunday when the women and children came to the work site. They used the neighboring yards and streets for construction. They have been working in Evans for years. They subcontracted for "local developers". What a waste of taxpayer manpower for a slap on the wrist. They will simply change the name on the trucks and may not even leave the country. Some workers continue to rent in Evans.
It is sad for those who were brought here illegally, knew the risk and would suffer the consequences just to have a glance at a better life. Being in an American prison is very enticing compared to living in Mexico homeless. No one should forget the real reason they are here, someone promised them a job. That job being one overseen by American contractors. They should be held accountable too. I didn't see any names of contractors mentioned here? La Fuentes appears to be bogus so far. Just drive to a Columbia County construction site, get out of your car and ask a worker who his boss is? Oh, don't be fooled by the "deaf card" that is a very old trick..
"Stewart added that the Diaz couple are also losing most of their property, including a $1.7 million home and several vehicles, to forfeiture."
“We went aggressively after as many assets as we could,” Stewart said."
Not aggressively enough... what do you mean lost MOST of their property ??? If that was an American citizen we would have lost ALL of our assets !!! That's why this country is so mucked up!
I have been in construction since I was 9 and I'm 45 now. I have worked in 3 states and I have seen this crap for at least the last 18 years so no one is going to convince me that the "authorities" go after this as "aggressively" as they can. I could write a freakin 20 page essay on this if I don't stop so, I will stop. Everyone who will read my comment knows what I am talking about anyway.
Federal authorities say Hugo Diaz and Blanca Miranda De Diaz garnered more than $400,000 in illicit income while sheltering seven illegals. And while the feds didn’t say it, it’s a no-brainer the seven were here to work illegally, presumably for Diaz’s De La Fuente Construction. 11/8/2011 AC
Don't feel bad, on a 1000 man plus construction job here in Southeast Texas there were nine Hispanic workers with the same social security number but neither the payroll office or the social security admin caught the error. Wonder if they wanted to, or were taxes even paid in to the goverment. Until the big shots running the companies are jailed according to laws already on the books this country will continue having this problem. I do not blame anyone for trying to better theirself but do it the right way- work visa etc.
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