RINCON - One of the owners of a popular Chinese food buffet in this Effingham County city was sentenced to 21 months in prison Thursday for conspiracy to harbor and employ illegal immigrants at his restaurant.
U.S. District Court Chief Judge William T. Moore Jr. also sentenced Guo Hua Jiang, 36, to three years on supervised release after he completes his prison sentence.
Edmund Booth Jr., U.S. attorney for the Southern District, said there is no parole in the federal system.
Booth said that on May 22, Jiang entered a guilty plea and agreed to the forfeiture of $75,000 instead of forfeiting two Rincon residences, where Jiang harbored the illegal immigrants.
Jiang's codefendant - his wife, Jian Chun Liu, 36 - also entered a guilty plea to employing illegal immigrants at their restaurant, Hong Kong Buffet. She has not yet been sentenced.
Both were arrested in November and face outstanding orders of deportation.
According to the indictment, Jiang and Liu employed one or more illegal immigrants since Feb. 25 to "obtain commercial advantage and private financial gain ... by avoiding tax and Social Security payments, the cost of employee benefits, unemployment insurance, worker's compensation insurance and fair labor standards and wages."
Booth had said at least 10 illegal immigrants were employed at the restaurant. Their cases are being handled by federal authorities.
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010 Morris Communications, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Now, if we can just get them federales to check out restaurants here in Augusta, it won't be Asians getting packed off to Leavenworth. Hope these two don't have any little kids, or else have lots of legal family nearby.
Of course we all know that this NEVER happens at the Mexican restaurants in this country..............
Might wont to check out the chinese restauant on hwy25. Used to be asians mostly working there.Last few years its been taken over by latinos.They also live right behind the restaurant.I dont care who works as long as their legal.
This should be a one day court case. The evidence is simple to obtain and prove. A special court should be set up to handle several of these a day. In less than 6 months, the "illegal immigrant" problem would be handled.
So a Chinese guy running a buffet restaurant gets 21 months in prison for hiring illegals. Duh..wake up U.S. Attorneys, we are being overrun with illegal Mexicans and no one says a word. This is like attacking Grenada after the Marine Barracks in Lebannon was blown up. Illegals do most of the work for the state contractors on the highways and groundskeeping in Columbia County at the Pavillion. Waaaaaakkkkkkkkkeeeeeee uuuuuupppppppp.
I was told that local police cannot investigate local businesses for illegals. Now why is that? As much as I admire the Mexicans who are building our highways with their work ethic, they should enter the country the legal way...and pay taxes.
A few years ago, the IRS building was getting a makeover. The INS did a crackdown and didn't check out the workers there. After public protest, they did. Found out the good old IRS had 37 illegals on their property. But heck, let's go get those wild running Asian chefs. They might destroy the country. Aren't they part of AliBaba Queda? INS can find the sun in the daytime but can't find their own a$$ at night.
Maskedman, I agree, but when the head of HOMELAND Security is an incompetent (Janet Nepolitano), who was appointed by that Tumor of a President, it is understandable. The asians arent a big enough voting demographic for the current admin to give a damn. They gonna take care of they Constituates. Its basically, Honor amongst criminals, and it starts at the top.
Riverman1, it is my understanding that local police forces (city/county) have to undergo specialized ICE certification training before being allowed to search for illegals or being able to detain suspected illegals until their status is checked. More and more counties are getting this ability and it does help!! The CSRA counties need to get on the roll and get the special training/certification.
What ever it takes.Get the certification the training just stop the illegals.