A Bartow County, Georgia businessman has pleaded guilty in federal court to harboring illegal aliens for financial gain.
That man, Juan Antonio Perez, 48, of Rydal, illegally encouraged and induced aliens to reside in the United States where they worked for his own commercial advantage and private financial gain. This, according to a press release the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia published this week.
“Juan Antonio Perez allegedly came to the United States illegally in 1992. He has lived in Bartow County, Georgia and has operated Aztec Framing at least since 2009. Aztec Framing has offices in Cartersville and Rossville, Georgia, and Hixon, Tennessee,” according to the press release.
“Perez employed illegal aliens at below-market rates, provided no benefits or insurance, and did not pay payroll taxes or Social Security. Perez built a 7,500-square-foot house, bought other houses where he allowed some of his employees to live, and purchased more than 30 sports cars and heavily customized trucks for his own personal collection. Yet, the Georgia Department of Labor has no record of Perez reporting any income. Perez also collected firearms, and agents located 14 firearms when his home was searched on April 30, 2019.”
Sentencing for Perez is scheduled for October 5, according to the press release.
Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations-Atlanta Nick S. Annan said individuals like Perez flagrantly violate federal law to give themselves an unfair business advantage. This, according to a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) press release.
“This case is an illustration of serious threats to public safety on numerous levels,” Annan said.
“Homeland Security Investigations will continue to focus not only on workers who violate federal law but also their employers.”
U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia Byung J. “BJay” Pak said in the ICE press release that illegal aliens are not allowed to own firearms, even though Perez had a large assortment of them.
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
