Grand Jury Continues To Investigate Agriprocessors

"Escorted by U.S. marshals, Juan Carlos Guerrero-Espinoza (left) and Martin De La Rosa-Loera (right) walk into the federal courthouse at 4200 C St. SW. in Cedar Rapids on Thursday. Guerrero-Espinoza is accused of…

…encouraging illegal immigrants to live in the United States in violation of law, aiding and abetting the possession and use of fraudulent identification documents and aiding and abetting aggravated identity theft. De La Rosa-Loera is accused of encouraging illegal immigrants to live in the United States in violation of law and aiding and abetting the possession and use of fraudulent identification documents. Both were employed as supervisors by Agriprocessors in Postville." [Cedar Rapids Gazette.]

The New York Times says the arrests' legal documents "make it clear that a grand jury investigation of Agriprocessors is continuing," and the Des Moines Register is reporting the US Department of Justice is pursuing a separate investigation against Agriprocessors.

Meanwhile, the Cedar Rapids Gazette reports that Guerro-Espinoza and De LA Rosa-Loera "face up to 20 years in prison if convicted of the charges. Guerrero-Espinoza is facing an additional charge of aiding and abetting aggravated identity theft, which could get him another sentence of up to 15 years."

Take a look at these charts to see where Guerro-Espinoza and De LA Rosa-Loera fit in Agriprocessors management structure.

Comments

[mordecai]

In my experience as a criminal defense attorney I would suspect that the FEDS will try to flip Esoinosa and De La Rosa. They are not interested in these low level flunkies.

It would be a stretch upon credulity to believe that these 2 were acting independently of the real powers that be. They were probably mere tools in a larger scheme.

[steve]

Question is would they be ready to go to jail to protect the Rubashkins?

[steve]

Read about another slaughterhouse scandal from 100 years ago:

http://tinyurl.com/5lkue8

[Shmarya]

Don't forget Chabad allegedly paid off Pini Lew's partner-in-crime after their robbery / attempted murder spree just outside Postville.

Lew got off with only probation. Stillman did hard time and told several people, including at least one journalist, that he was paid to take the fall.

Their victim has spent years in serious pain with a bullet lodged against her spine.

Lew has not paid the civil judgement against him, either. Not all of – not any of it. And he has never so much as apologized to the woman.

Chabad let Lew be a shaliach (official Chabad rabbi) after this sordid affair. Lew was later forced out when details leaked.

Rubashkin and Chabad have a lot of cash at their disposal.

Look for that cash to make its way to the families of those arrested supervisors in copious amounts.

[John K. Diamond]

[Rubashkin and Chabad have a lot of cash at their disposal.

Look for that cash to make its way to the families of those arrested supervisors in copious amounts.]

If Rubashkin is dumb enough to try to bribe these two arrested former supervisors to keep their mouths shut, the hole that he has already dug for himself and his associates, will just get that much larger.

[steve]

We're dealing with the feds here, not DA Hynes, so it may not be that easy for them to get off. However, I do not underestimate their political reach and the extent that people will go to, to protect them. As we speak, there are many Chabad operatives and others with political clout working overtime to get the feds to drop the investigation.

[Someone Whoknows]

Most of these posters are looking at this the wrong way.

There is never an excuse for wrongdoing, yet the plain truth is that it is more than hard, nearing impossible, to get non immigrants to work at places like this. Even Heineman has illegals - probably not as much.

It's a slaughterhouse. There is blood, there is sinew, bones, and organs; there are animals sensing death and frightened. It's everything you'd expect from a the worst slasher films. It's not for the faint of heart and it is certainly not for the average latte sipping American.

Yes, this was the biggest raid - but not the biggest secret. Virtually the entire farming and agricultural industry is engined by immigrants, many illegal. The hidden secret here is that it's done. Ask the folks at HIAS - the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, and they'll tell you that they feel for the employers here. They know first hand what is happening all over the country.

One issue may be that Agriprocessors needs to make serious changes to get up to full speed and compliance, but the real issue here is the United States' immigration policy. It needs fixing and fixing fast. The lesson of Agriprocessors is that this is a problem looming large and will only get worse.

let Agriprocessors fix up and get the meat back on your plates. Chicken is now $7.49/lb - bizarre. People can't afford that. Meat is even more now.

Let's focus on the real problem - fixing the U.S. immigration policy. Instead of boycotting the meat company, make an even stronger effort to patronize shops with illegals - show our legislators that this is an issue that they need to take seriously and take it seriously now!

[uncle joe mccarthy]

Someone Whoknows,

you are aware that for years, these slaughterhouses functioned well without illegal employees. sure, no one made it a career to work there, but as long as everything was up to standard, and wages were comensurate with the work, americans did and would continue to work there.

not everyone is a latte sipping american

trust me, in my youth, i did back baking labor and was proud of the work i did.

and read what the ex employees are saying about the lack of training...believe it or not, it does take skills (ie meat cutting skills) to work in a place like agri

and there is nothing wrong with our immigration policy, unless you back the open border people and the corporatists, who would like nothing better than wide open temp work permits....and all those special visas....biggest scam there is

know how you make sure you dont have to hire americans? you hire an visa guy, then you have to post an ad in some obscure newspaper or website...keep it running...then tell the feds that either you had no responses, or no responses from qualified individuals

and i would be happy to pay more for meat and chicken, or just become a vegetarian, if i knew the workers were treated well and provided a living wage....not being treated as slaves

[Dee]

Thank you for keeping us informed of the latest news, FM.
You have a great Blog!
Have you emailed the Feds to let them know news reports tell us Amara fled to Israel?

[Carol Ann Varley]

My hunch is Agri will imitate the illegals by stealing the identity of a reputable company and pray they won't get caught.

[Shmarya]

Have you emailed the Feds to let them know news reports tell us Amara fled to Israel?

When IU spoke to the US Attorney's office Friday, I mentioned it.