Four people are facing charges following an investigation into undocumented workers hired at a poultry processing plant on the Eastern Shore.
Federal prosecutors allege the suspects recruited and used undocumented workers, providing false identification documents to secure employment.
The charges stem from an investigation into Fayette Janitorial Service, a Tennessee-based company contracted to provide cleaning and sanitation services for Perdue Farms in Accomack County, according to federal documents.
Fayette Division Manager John Mitchum oversaw contracts at six plants and is now facing facing the following charges: conspiracy to defraud and commit offenses against the U.S., harboring undocumented workers and aggravated ID theft and unlawful transfer of false identification documents.
Watch previous coverage: Federal indictment alleges contractor used child labor, fraudulent IDs at Eastern Shore poultry plant
Jolie Pererira was a Fayette clerk then worked as the Regional Division Human Resources Manager for Fayatte.
It states she was tasked with the hiring and retention of 35 processing plants from North Carolina to Rhode Island. It states she would review documents related to the hiring of employees to include U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service Form I-9. She was accused of conspiracy to defraud and commit offenses against the U.S., harboring undocumented workers and aggravated ID theft.
Elmer Escalante, an undocumented worker from Guatemala was the site manager and oversight of two night shifts and responsible for recruiting new employees two work for Fayette. He is also facing deportation, according to his attorney. He was been charged with conspiracy to defraud and commit offenses against the U.S., harboring undocumented workers and aggravated ID theft.
Omar Lopez Albares is accused of selling fake identification documents to people including Escalante. He was accused of unlawful transfer of false identification documents and conspiracy to defraud and commit offenses against the U.S.
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In 2022, a 14-year-old boy was severely injured when he was pulled into a poultry processing machine while cleaning it.
Prosecutors say fake documents were used to claim the 14-year-old and another 16-year-old boy were adults.
An investigation by Homeland Security alleges they “overwhelmingly used fraudulent identification documents” and allegedly found that 339 of 353 employees hired by Fayette at the Accomack plant had "suspect documents."
Furthermore, it states that law enforcement databases showed that 284 of 293 driver's license numbers provided were invalid numbers or rejected due to wrong information.
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"The immigrant community is a very vulnerable community to abuse and mistreatment," said Hugo Valverde, an immigration attorney not connected to the case.
Defense attorney Andrew Protogyrou represents Escalante.
"You read in the indictment and there are hundreds of false documents that had been produced. That is a systematic breach of the law that occurs, more from just 3 or 4 people in an indictment," Protogyrou said.
In 2024, the Department of Labor announced Fayette would pay $649,000 in penalties after officials said 24 children worked overnight sanitation shifts on the Eastern Shore and at a plant in Iowa.
Fayette issued a statement in November and said Thursday the statement still stands.
"Fayette was not aware of the pending indictments prior to the recent filings. Fayette has not been contacted directly by authorities regarding the individuals named and none of the individuals remain employed by Fayette. Fayette complies with Federal I-9 and E-Verify requirements on all hires. The matters referenced in the court filings concern alleged actions of former individuals acting outside of company policy. Fayette follows strict hiring and compliance procedures and will fully cooperate with authorities if contacted," Fayette Janitorial Service said.
