By ARABELLA SERRATA
editor@sbnewspaper.com
LOS FRESNOS, TX —On Feb. 12, according to an official criminal complaint, the Department of Homeland Security Investigations [HSI] “encountered” the owners of Abby’s Bakery, Leonardo Baez and Nora Alicia Avila-Guel. The two are now facing charges for allegedly harboring illegal migrants.
According to the complaint, on Feb. 12, Homeland Security Investigations discovered and apprehended eight alleged illegal migrants located on the owners’ “personal property.” Material witness Roberto Ibarra Otero, a Mexican citizen and national who, according to the complaint, “has no documents to remain in the United States,” confirmed that the bakery’s owners knew about his status within the country and still had him on the property.
A second witness, Gerardo Sanches Martinez, another Mexican citizen and national with no U.S. documents, confirmed that they were also “willfully harbored” by the bakery’s owners.
Sergio Villarreal, the attorney defending Baez, confirmed that at the Feb. 21 hearing, the judge decided there was “sufficient probable cause” for the case to continue. The owners have been granted a $100,000 bail with a $15,000 cash bond. They are now pending further proceedings.
“All things considered, they’re resilient people. They were really happy when the judge granted them permission to continue operating and get back to work…And of course, distraught,” said Villarreal.
Jaime Diez, the attorney defending Avila-Guel, further confirmed the results from the hearing. He called the situation “scary,” mentioning the charges made against the owners could be allied to many other people in the area.
The criminal complaint was made on Feb. 14. Dillon Duke, HSI Special Agent, described the full offense as, “bringing in and harboring certain aliens and aiding and abetting the harboring of aliens.”
“These are scary, dark times we’re living in. This just set a scary precedent for what’s going to happen in the area now,” added Villarreal.
The complaint states the owners violated code section 8 U.S.C 1324 (a)(i)(A)(iii) and (v) (II), punishable by fine under title 18, imprisoned not more than ten years, or both, according to the U.S. Department of Justice website.