BRATTLEBORO MAN INDICTED FOR EMPLOYING AND HARBORING ILLEGAL ALIENS, AND FOR MAKING FALSE STATEMENTS

The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that agents from the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement ("ICE"), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested Gurdeep Nagra, 38, a citizen of Canada residing in Brattleboro, Vermont on charges of employing and harboring illegal immigrants and on charges of having lied to authorities in obtaining his own authorization to reside in the United States. Simultaneously with Nagra's arrest, federal law enforcement agents searched two hotels in Brattleboro, Vermont, the Hampton Inn and the Quality Inn.

Nagra appeared today in United States District Court in Burlington and pleaded not guilty to the indictment. He was ordered detained pending a bail hearing on October 24, 2007.

In addition to the arrest of Nagra, ICE agents also took into custody ten aliens that were illegally living and working in Vermont. These individuals have been detained in ICE custody pending removal hearings before an Immigration Judge. One other alien was found to be in possession of a controlled substance and was arrested by the Brattleboro Police Department. Three other aliens were released and ordered to appear for an immigration hearing at a later date.

According to Court records, Nagra is the President of the Nanak Hotel Group, which owns the Quality Inn and the Hampton Inn in Brattleboro, Vermont. In October 2006, ICE was notified that the hotels were employing illegal aliens and that the hotels were also allowing the aliens to live on hotel premises. Sources also told law enforcement that the hotels handled payroll very differently for legal and illegal employees. The records also show that persons involved in the illegal employment have confirmed to agents that illegal aliens lived and worked at the hotels. Many of these individual were employed by a "shell" company created by Nagra to avoid detection by immigration officials.

Court records also reveal that Mr. Nagra was arrested in1992 on immigration charges for illegally entering the United States. At that time, Mr. Nagra was using the name Gurdeep Singh. Mr. Nagra legally adopted the name of Nagra while outside the United States and then applied for admission using the new name. Court records state that Mr. Nagra swore under oath that he had never previously been arrested, that he had never had an immigration file, and that he had never used a different name. The indictment charges Nagra with making false statements in connection with his immigration status.

If convicted, the defendant faces up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine. United States Attorney Thomas D. Anderson cautioned that an indictment is only a method of bringing charges and is not proof of guilt. He noted that a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.

"Today's enforcement action is part of ICE's continued efforts to investigate those who hire and facilitate the hiring of illegal workers," said Bruce M. Foucart, Special Agent-in-Charge of ICE's Office of Investigation in Boston. "No employer, regardless of size, industry or geographic location, is immune from complying with our nation's laws."

United States Attorney Anderson commended ICE and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their work on this investigation. The defendant is represented by Lisa Shelkrot, Esq. Assistant United States Attorney James Gelber has been assigned to prosecute the case for the United States.