Utah construction contractor charged in ICE probe with smuggling

22 of firm's employees arrested on immigration violations in related enforcement action

SALT LAKE CITY - An Orem, Utah construction contractor faces federal criminal charges as part of an alleged scheme to bring illegal aliens into the United States and require them to work for his business to pay off their smuggling debts.

Jose Hernan Moreno, 40, a Peruvian national who owns MJH Construction, was charged last week with one count of alien smuggling and one count of harboring illegal aliens. Moreno's brother-in-law, Alejandro M. Meza, 42, was also charged with harboring illegal aliens. According to court documents filed in the case, the two men allegedly housed the aliens in various residences they own in Utah County.

Moreno and Meza were initially taken into custody December 18 on administrative immigration violations after ICE agents executed search warrants at three residences owned by Moreno and his relatives. In addition to Moreno and Meza, ICE agents arrested 22 Peruvian and Mexican nationals at those homes who were found to be in the country illegally. The aliens, who were employed by Moreno's construction company, have been processed for removal from the United States, and will be subject to further interviews as the criminal investigation continues. Three days later, based upon evidence gathered by ICE, the U.S. Attorney's Office filed a criminal complaint charging Moreno and Meza with alien smuggling and harboring. The two men have been turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals.

According to an affidavit filed in connection with the case, one of the illegal alien workers told ICE agents that while in Peru, he borrowed $2,500 from Moreno's parents to buy a Mexican visa so that he could illegally enter the United States through Mexico. Once he arrived in the United States, Moreno's parents allegedly told him he would be provided work and a place to live. In July 2005, the alien stated that he and two uncles arrived in Phoenix, where they were met by Moreno. For a fee of $1,500 each, Moreno allegedly transported the aliens to homes he and his relatives owned in Orem. After arriving there, the alien alleged he was not permitted to speak to his parents in Peru without being monitored, and that Moreno took his passport and vaguely threatened him with deportation. Another one of the Moreno's workers told agents he earned $9,500 after working a year of 12 to 14-hour days for Moreno, but ended up receiving only $1,000 after paying off his debts to Moreno and his family.