Aug. 28 , 2006

 

SIX ILLEGAL ALIENS
WHO WORKED FOR CESSNA
HAVE PLEADED GUILTY

WICHITA, KAN. – Six falsely-documented workers from Mexico who had been working at Cessna Aircraft Company in Wichita have pleaded guilty to felony fraud charges in connection with their Cessna employment, United States Attorney for Kansas Eric Melgren announced Monday.

The six, including one Mexican national who filed a workers’ compensation claim and whose wife was indicted for document fraud, are in custody awaiting sentencing in United States District Court. All face prison sentences, after which they will be deported, Melgren said.

“Cessna did the right thing in reporting these workers,” Melgren said

Homar Vargas-Blanco

The sixth worker to plead guilty, Homar Vargas-Blanco, 27, entered a guilty plea Friday before Senior U.S. District Judge Wesley E. Brown. He pleaded guilty to the use of false documents to be employed in the U.S. and agreed to a prison sentence of 13 months, after which he will be deported as a felon, meaning he can never legally return to the United States.

“Foreign nationals who use false documents to work in the United States are being arrested, prosecuted, convicted, imprisoned and deported,” Melgren said Monday. “Businesses that knowingly employ them should expect to be prosecuted, as well.”

Rogelio Ortega-Guzman

The Cessna employee who had filed a workers’ compensation case, Rogelio Ortega-Guzman, 42, pleaded guilty Aug. 21 to document fraud in connection with his employment at Cessna, and misuse of a Social Security number in connection with his workers’ compensation claim. He is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 5. Ortega’s wife, Maria Leticia Ortega, was indicted June 27 on 14 document fraud counts but fled and has not yet been found, Melgren said.

Four other cases

The other four Cessna employees who have pleaded guilty are:]

Pedro Aguilar-Martinez, 51. Aguilar-Martinez pleaded guilty Aug. 7 to use of false documents to be employed in the United States. He faces a 13-month prison sentence and is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 23. After he completes his federal prison sentence he will be deported and banned for life from re-entering the United States.

Jose L. Camacho, 51. Camacho pleaded guilty Aug. 7 to making a false claim of U.S. citizenship to be employed in the United States. He faces a likely sentence of six months in federal prison and is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 23.

Fernando Lopez-Inigo, 32. Lopez-Inigo pleaded guilty July 24 to use of false documents to be employed in the United States. He faces a 13-month prison sentence and is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 16. After he completes his federal prison sentence he will be deported and banned for life from re-entering the United States.

Roberto Gutierrez, 47. Gutierrez pleaded guilty July 27 to using false documents to be employed in the United States. He faces a 13-month prison sentence and is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 16. After he completes his federal prison sentence he will be deported and banned for life from re-entering the United States.

These cases were investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.

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