Five people arrested in an immigration raid on an Otay Mesa bakery pleaded guilty to federal charges in exchange for fines, short prison sentences and probation Tuesday.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) executed a federal search warrant on S & S Bakery on Brittania Blvd. on Oct. 20.
The bakery's owner Jesse William Fadick, two bakery supervisors, Rigoberto Sarmiento-Machuca and Rogelio Machuca-Sarmiento, and an employee, Abel Baizabal, were charged with conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens. The supervisors and employee were also alleged illegal immigrants.
On Tuesday, Fadick entered a guilty plea to charges of knowingly hiring ten or more illegal aliens with a 12-month period. He was ordered to pay $800,000, which he paid in full in court Tuesday, according to prosecutors.
Baizabel, Sarmiento-Machuca and Machuca-Sarmiento pleaded guilty to misusing entry documents.
Local
The company's general manager, Jean-Pierre Martinez, also pleaded guilty to making a false attestation on an I-9 employment eligibility verification form.
Prosecutors said they will recommend five year probation for Fadick and Martinez as well as "low-end" sentences for the other defendants.
ICE agents arrested 41 suspected illegal immigrants at the company's 35,000 square foot facility and identified 32 other employees. Nineteen of the detained immigrants were released on bond so as to serve as material witnesses.
Now that the plea agreements have been reached, the judge ordered all of the material witnesses to surrender to ICE officials.
Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 6 for the defendants. A status hearing is scheduled for Jan. 25, 2011 to confirm all the material witnesses have surrendered.
S&S Bakery held contracts with schools, the military and health care facilities at the time of the ICE raid.
Let us know what you think. Comment below, send us your thoughts via Twitter @nbcsandiego or add your comment to our Facebook page.
