From the Eagle Tribune;
December 15, 2010
Atkinson man guilty of hiring illegal immigrants
By Doug Ireland direland@eagletribune.com The Eagle Tribune Wed Dec 15, 2010, 12:28 AM EST
ATKINSON — A 53-year-old local man has pleaded guilty to employing illegal immigrants at his Dunkin' Donuts stores in Maine.
George Valvanis of Atkinson pleaded guilty Monday in U.S. District Court in Portland to a single count of recruiting or hiring illegal immigrants unauthorized and one count of lying on an immigration document, according to U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II of Maine.
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's homeland security investigations.
Valvanis managed several Dunkin' Donuts stores in the Portland area and employed 18 illegal immigrants between 2001 and 2009, according to court records.
He faces a maximum prison term of five years on the charge of lying on a document and six months on the hiring charge.
"ICE HSI will hold employers who knowingly hire an illegal work force accountable for their actions," said Bruce M. Foucart, special agent in charge of ICE HSI in Boston.
"Our office will continue to investigate and find employers who flout our laws and hire illegal labor in order to reduce the demand for illegal employment and protect employment opportunities for the nation's lawful work force," Foucart said in a statement. "ICE HSI will use enforcement tools, civil and criminal, when appropriate to bring about compliance."
Valvanis is to be sentenced in April by U.S. District Judge D. Brock Hornby.
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10 comments:
Is he Married to Thea Valanis, Sumner Kalman's law partner?
I only ask because the name is not a common one.
Yes
Is she a runner?
So should she run from Mr. Kalman and practice on her own? Mr. Kalman hasn't done such a great job of asking where the Osborns are living presently has he.
After you are done wondering about the wife, why don't you pick on his kids too, then his dog.....get a life bloggers!!!!!!!
Prosecution was brought to you by the gangsters of the US Justice Department. How many of the so-called 18 illegals were deported as a result of this prosecution? You guessed it, zero.
I'm willing to bet $10,000 that the employer is a conservative Republican. Employing illegal workers. Notice the implied irony...
I'm willing to bet $10,000 that the employer is a conservative Republican. Employing illegal workers. Notice the implied irony...
Well what are you complaining about, just some more future votes for the losers that want to give our country away to people that won't get off their a&&!
He is a good Men and he does not deserve all of this shit... I am one of those "illegal" that he employed.... the truth is noone knows how the immigration laws really works.... I started to work with George in 2002 at the time there was no help at all on his stores he had post job offer on newspaper and on everysing: le store but he could not get help... only drunk people would show up to work and steal from him, he did not have choice but to hire who wanted to work and he tryed to hire these people legally because he became their sponsor in order for them "illegal workers" to receive the "green card" but unfortunatelly some haters and jelous people crossed his way. This Men did not hired the illegals on purpose he tought he could hired them because many others business people do the same.
I was one of his "illegal" employees too. And Thanks to him, I'm getting my citizenship next week.
But one thing you learn when you LIVE in the United States, DO NOT MESS WITH THE LAWS!
George knew what he was doing!
No one obligated him to do it.
He is in "this business" since 1993, hiring illegals and he is lucky to get only 5 years in prison.
I feel bad for him and his family, but in the other hand, "you get what you pay for it".
Good luck to him!
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