SUN DRYWALL AND STUCCO, INC. AND ITS PRESIDENT SENTENCED FOR UNLAWFULLY EMPLOYING ALIENS

TUCSON, Ariz. – Ivan T. Hardt, 49, of Sierra Vista, Ariz., was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Raner C. Collins to one year probation for Unlawful Employment of Aliens. As part of the plea agreement, Hardt agreed to pay $225,000.00 in restitution to the Department of Labor for overtime back wages owed under the Fair Labor Standards Act. In addition, Hardt agreed to pay $225,000.00 in administrative forfeiture to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. To date, Hardt has paid the $225,000.00 in restitution and has paid $75,000.00 of the $225,000.00 in forfeiture.

Hardt is president of Sun Drywall and Stucco, Inc. (“Sun Drywall”), a construction company in Sierra Vista, Arizona. Sun Drywall, through Hardt, also pleaded guilty to Unlawful Employment of Aliens. Sun Drywall was sentenced to five years probation. As part of the terms of probation, Sun Drywall cannot knowingly hire, recruit, or employ aliens who are without legal authorization to work in the United States, is required to maintain Employment Verification Forms for each employee, and agreed to waive a three-day notice requirement with regard to inspection of employee files.

            Hardt was arrested following a 16-month federal investigation into the hiring of illegal aliens. In March of 2007, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents determined that at least twenty-seven individuals not lawfully admitted to work in the United States were employed by Hardt and Sun Drywall and that Hardt and Sun Drywall did not present employment documents for these individuals upon request for inspection.

The investigation in this case was conducted by the United States Department of Labor and United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The prosecution is being handled by Jane L. Westby, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson.

CASE NUMBER:         CR-07-0548-TUC-RCC
RELEASE NUMBER: 2012-081(Hardt)

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az