United States Attorney
Northern District of Texas

1100 Commerce St., 3rd Fl.
Dallas, Texas 75242-1699

Telephone (214) 659-8600
Fax (214) 767-0978

ELEVEN FORMER EMPLOYEES AT SWIFT & COMPANY MEAT
PROCESSING PLANT IN CACTUS, TEXAS PLEAD GUILTY

AMARILLO, Texas - Eleven former employees of the Swift & Company Meat Processing Plant in Cactus, Texas, pled guilty today in federal court in Amarillo, to charges stemming from the December 12, 2006 immigration enforcement action at the plant, announced U.S. Attorney Richard B. Roper of the Northern District of Texas.

Ten of those defendants, Manuel Aguilar-Vargon, Antonio Garcia-Deleon, Cruz Chica-Paulo, Santos Morales-Perez, Pedro Tomas-Gutierrez, Sebastian Xiquin-Quino, Flaviano Son-Luish, Domingo Cipyian-Tomas, Martin Castro-Quixan and Jose Jauria-Buch each pled guilty to one count of fraud in connection with an immigration document. They each face a maximum statutory sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

One of the defendants, Marcelino Ralios-Pablo, pled guilty to one count of false representation of a Social Security Number. He faces a maximum statutory sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Sentencing dates have not yet been set. Six cases remain pending against other defendants.

U.S. Attorney Roper praised the excellent cooperative work of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Border Patrol and the Texas Department of Public Safety. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise Williams of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Lubbock, Texas.

###