Sandusky Register

PERKINS TWP. — The Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Border Patrol raided two local garden center locations Tuesday and arrested 114 employees.

Federal agents executed criminal search warrants at two Corso’s Garden Center establishments — in Perkins Township on Milan Road (U.S. 250) and in Castalia on Bardshar Road — said Steve Francis, special agent in charge of Homeland Security investigations.

The allegations involved harboring and hiring of “illegal aliens,” aggravated identity theft and impersonation of U.S. persons, Francis said.

Agents carried boxes out from the Corso’s Perkins location, which contained “a lot of documentary evidence,” Francis said.

The investigation began last October, when Border Patrol arrested a woman who was a suspected document vendor, said Khaalid Walls, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesman.

The vendor allegedly gave stolen identity documents to job applicants in the country. She led investigators to Corso’s, where they examined documents in its files for irregularities, Francis said. Some Social Security numbers belonged to dead people.

“We verified that a lot of U.S. persons were obviously unaware of this. It’s caused them a lot of hardship,” Francis said. “It’s not one that we’re looking for strictly as a worksite immigration raid.”

They examined 313 employee records, of which 123 were found suspicious and targeted for arrest and criminal charges of identity theft and, in most cases, tax evasion. The execution of warrants represents just the beginning of the investigation.

“Now the agents and officers will start conducting interviews,” Francis said. “We are attempting to identify what criminal network brought over 100 illegal aliens to Ohio to work. We are looking at the employers or other networks that are smuggling individuals into the U.S. and finding them places of employment.”

The raid was part of the Trump administration’s growing crackdown on employers hiring people who are in the country illegally.

“If you are a legitimate business you have nothing to be concerned about, but if you are harboring or hiring illegal aliens you will be identified, arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Francis added.

The people arrested will be detained pending removal proceedings at facilities in Ohio and Michigan, Walls said. The names of the people detained have not been released.

“For privacy reasons, we don’t release the names of individuals facing immigration charges,” Walls said. “If later this week, individuals are charged with federal criminal violations, that information will be available.”

Ohio law requires law enforcement agencies to provide full disclosure, in most cases, of the names of people arrested. The Border Patrol and ICE are federal agencies that do not observe those standards required in state law.

Throughout Tuesday morning, the Register received numerous phone calls about the raid with some callers saying agents were “armed with sub-machine guns.” The agents were carrying their issued weapons, which is standard procedure, and the weapons were probably misconstrued as something else, Francis said.

“I am not aware of anyone with a submachine gun,” Francis said. “Our officers were out there executing the warrants however they feel they need to, to ensure the safety and security of both themselves and the community.”

Editor’s note: The Associated Press contributed to this news story.

Updated today, 12:46 p.m.

PERKINS TWP. — The Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Border Patrol raided two local garden center locations Tuesday and arrested 114 illegal aliens.

Federal agents executed criminal search warrants at two Corso’s Garden Center stores — in Perkins Township on Milan Road (U.S. 250) and in Castalia on Bardshar Road — said Steve Francis, special agent in charge of Homeland Security investigations.

The allegations involved harboring and hiring of illegal aliens, aggravated identity theft and impersonation of U.S. persons, Francis said.

Agents carried boxes out from Corso’s location, 3404 Milan Road, as they seized “a lot of documentary evidence,” Francis said.

The execution of warrants represents just the beginning of the investigation, which first started last October, when Border Patrol arrested a suspected document vendor, said Khaalid Walls, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesman.

“Now the agents and officers will start conducting interviews,” Francis said. “We are attempting to identify what criminal network brought over 100 illegal aliens to Ohio to work. We are looking at the employers or other networks that are smuggling individual into the U.S. and finding them places of employment.”

The Associated Press reported the raid was part of the Trump administration’s growing crackdown on employers hiring people who are in the country illegally.

“If you are a legitimate business you have nothing to be concerned about, but if you are harboring or hiring illegal aliens you will be identified, arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Francis added.

The illegal aliens who were arrested will be detained pending removal proceedings at facilities in Ohio and Michigan, Walls said. The names of the people detained have not been released.

“For privacy reasons, we don’t release the names of individuals facing immigration charges,” Walls said. “If later this week, individuals are charged with federal criminal violations, that information will be available.”

Throughout Tuesday morning, the Register received numerous phone calls about the raid with many callers indicating agents were “armed with sub-machine guns.” The agents were carrying their issued weapons, which is standard procedure, and the weapons were probably misconstrued as something else, Francis said.

“I am not aware of anyone with a submachine gun,” Francis said. “Our officers were out there executing the warrants however they feel they need to, to ensure the safety and security of both themselves and the community.”

Update today, 10:15 a.m. 

The Associated Press is reporting that 114 arrests were made at Corso’s Flower & Garden Center this morning, and a second Corso’s location on Bardshar Road in Castalia.

The AP said the raid was part of the Trump administration’s growing crackdown on employers hiring people who are in the country illegally.

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency told the AP it expects charges for crimes including identity theft and tax evasion.

Agents were carrying boxes out from inside Corso’s this morning.

Check back here for updates

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Today, 9:50 a.m.

Federal agents raid Corso’s

The federal government is executing a search warrant at Corso’s on U.S. 250 this morning, a spokesman for the U.S Department of Homeland Security said.

It’s unknown what the agency is searching for at the lawn and garden center at 3404 Milan Road (U.S. 250).

The Register received numerous phone calls this morning about what was occurring and a reporter is at the center now

One caller said Homeland Security “raided” another Corso’s location on Bardshar Road.

Another caller said agents, “armed with sub-machine guns” were standing guard as people at the center were “rounded up.”

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Border Patrol is responsible for securing the U.S. border.

A manager from the store refused comment.

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Check back here for updates.  

Reach reporter Michael Harrington at michaelharrington@sanduskyregister.com, follow the Register at Facebook.com/SanduskyRegister