Greenbrier County Man Sentenced for Immigration Crime

BECKLEY, W.Va. – Rajesh N. Patel, 51, of Ronceverte, was sentenced today to three years of federal probation and fined $10,000 for knowingly transporting an illegal alien.

According to court documents and statements made in court, from November 2020 through at least September 2024, Aakash Prakash Makwana, 30, a citizen of India unlawfully residing in Ronceverte, was employed at a Fairlea business owned and operated by Patel. Makwana assisted with running the daily business during the time period. As part of their guilty pleas, Patel admitted that he agreed to hire Makwana knowing that Makwana was living in the United States illegally after his immigration visa expired.

Patel further admitted that he drove Makwana to and from work and other locations because Makwana did not own a vehicle. Patel also admitted that he did not collect or pay over to the United States government any payroll taxes from Makwana’s gross pay, and paid Makwana’s rent and supplied him with groceries during most of the time Makwana was employed at the business.

Makwana was sentenced to two years in prison on October 8, 2025, after pleading guilty to aggravated identity theft. Makwana admitted that he committed the offense as part of a scheme to marry a United States citizen to evade U.S. immigration laws. In or around August 2021, Makwana conspired with others to marry a U.S. citizen so he could apply for Lawful Permanent Residence status, also known as obtaining a Green Card. The marriage fraud scheme was not successful.

As part of his guilty plea, Patel admitted that he knew of the marriage fraud conspiracy and aided and abetted it by making cash payments to Makwana’s co-conspirators. Kalee Ann Huff, 28, of Fairbury, Illinois, admitted to marrying Makwana as part of the conspiracy and was sentenced on June 12, 2025, to five years of federal probation for marriage fraud and perjury. Huff’s brother-in-law, Joseph Sanchez, admitted to helping to arrange the fake marriage and to pressuring Huff to take part. Sanchez, 34, of Fairbury, Illinois, was sentenced to five years of federal probation on May 28, 2025, for participating in an immigration marriage fraud conspiracy.

Patel’s wife, Avanibahen Patel, 44, of Ronceverte, pleaded guilty on September 4, 2025, to unlawful employment of aliens and is scheduled to be sentenced on January 13, 2026.

United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case.

These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 5:25-cr-136.

###