NEWS RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY

WESTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI

BETH PHILLIPS

Contact Don Ledford, Public Affairs ● (816) 426-4220 ● 400 East Ninth Street, Room 5510 ● Kansas City, MO 64106

www.usdoj.gov../index.html

JANUARY 26, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ROOFING COMPANY OWNER SENTENCED

FOR HARBORING ILLEGAL ALIENS

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Beth Phillips, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that the owner of a Springfield, Mo., roofing company was sentenced in federal court today for harboring illegal aliens.

Hilario Perez-Cereceres, 44, of Springfield, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Richard E. Dorr this morning to three years of probation. Perez-Cereceres, a citizen of Mexico, is a permanent lawful resident of the United States.

On Oct. 22, 2008, Perez-Cereceres pleaded guilty to harboring illegal aliens for the purpose of commercial advantage or private financial gain. Perez-Cereceres admitted that he harbored four Mexican nationals at his residence. These illegal aliens were employed at his roofing company, Perez Roofing, as well as eight additional Mexican nationals who were also illegal aliens.

Perez-Cereceres’ roofing company was subcontracted by Taylor Made Roofing in Bolivar, Mo. In a separate but related case, the owner of Taylor Made Roofing, Russell D. Taylor, 31, of Bolivar, pleaded guilty to hiring illegal aliens. Taylor admitted that, from August 2006 through April 2008, he hired, contracted and sub-contracted for hire to obtain the labor of illegal aliens. Taylor also agreed to forfeit to the government $185,363, which represents the amount of proceeds obtained as a result of the offense. Under the terms of the plea agreement, the government and Taylor agree that a fine of $36,000 is appropriate, representing a $3,000 fine for each of the 12 illegal aliens who worked under the supervision of Juan Pacheco-Herrera. Pacheco-Herrera has pleaded guilty and been sentenced, in another separate but related case, to harboring illegal aliens.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robyn L. McKee. It was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.

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