Bad Day at the Office - HR Employees Arrested, Charged

Agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested two employees at an Iowa meat processing plant this morning. It has been confirmed that they were employed in the human resources department.

The two are expected to have their initial federal court appearance this afternoon in Cedar Rapids.

The women were arrested this morning by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents at the plant in Postville. One of the women has been charged with aiding and abetting document fraud, aiding and abetting aggravated identity theft and conspiracy to harbor undocumented aliens. Documents filed with the court allege that on May 11, the day before federal authories launched a massive immigration raid at the plant, a supervisor was in the human resources department assisting employees with the completion of new applications, in new names, and using newly acquired false identification documents. In addition, the documents indicate that the HR employee was assisting with this process, knowing that some of the applicants were current employees who worked in the supervisor’s department.

The second woman is charged with aiding and abetting the harboring of undocumented aliens. Court documents allege that several former, undocumented alien employees at the plant have implicated her in helping them obtain false identification documents.

The two women appeared in federal court today. One was released on bond. The other is temporarily being held, but is expected to be released with an electronic monitoring device. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Sept. 24.

If convicted on the charges, they face mandatory minimum sentences of two years in prison and a possible maximum sentence of 22 years in prison, a $750,000 fine, special assessments of $300 and seven years of supervised release. Freund faces a possible maximum sentence of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, a special assessment of $100 and 3 years supervised release.

Both women were also named in the state’s case of alleged child labor law violations at the plant.