Report: Informants, Arrested Employees Led To Immigration Raid

Carolyn Hileman* | December 19, 2007

Filed Under Crime Criminals Justice, Immigration

By Ron Wood

FAYETTEVILLE — Information from confidential informants and a series of arrests involving employees of Acambaro led federal officials to Arturo and Silvia Reyes, according to affidavits unsealed Friday.

The husband and wife operate the Acambaro restaurant chain, Garibaldi’s Mexican Restaurant and Garcia’s Distributor, according to federal officials. They’re charged with harboring illegal immigrants for financial gain and knowingly hiring them to work at the restaurants and food distribution company. Documents further indicate the alleged unlawful activity included identity theft, possession and use of counterfeit identity documents, employment eligibility verification fraud and money laundering.

The affidavits say illegal immigrants were the primary source of employees for the company. Some had worked at the restaurant as long as seven years. They were paid “off the books,” often in cash.

Both Arturo and Silvia Reyes, who is pregnant, are in the country illegally, according to immigration officials.

Arturo and Sylvia Reyes co-managed the businesses and Silvia Reyes kept the books, according to affidavits by Charles Motsinger, a Springdale police detective assigned to an immigration and customs enforcement task force.

The investigation began in September 2006 after a confidential informant told authorities Arturo Reyes, 35, was harboring and employing illegal immigrants at his business.

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