Posted on 04/08/2018 7:57:23 PM PDT by 11th_VA
BEAN STATION, TN (WATE) - New details were released Friday about Thursday's raid on an East Tennessee slaughterhouse by the IRS, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Tennessee Highway Patrol.
What initially began as a criminal raid turned into immigration operation at Southeastern Provisions, a cattle slaughter business in Bean Station.
During the raid, 97 people were found who were subject to removal from the United States. Ten of those were arrested on federal criminal charges, one on state charges and 86 on administrative charges. Of the 86 administrative arrests, 54 were placed in detention and 32 were released.
Large Cash Withdrawals
A search warrant affidavit obtained by WATE 6 On Your Site revealed that federal authorities were tipped off by bank employees about large cash withdrawals from Citizens Bank in Morristown made by employees of Southeastern Provisions. An investigation revealed that James Brantley, who is the president of Southeastern Provisions and his wife Pamela Brantley, along with their daughter Kelsey Brantley and Priscilla Keck, an employee, were withdrawing cash to pay employees at the slaughterhouse.
When bank employees questioned the transactions, the affidavit said they were told the cash was used for payroll. Investigators say $25 million in cash was withdrawn from the bank accounts beginning in 2008.
According to the affidavit, when bank officials toured the slaughterhouse in December 2016, they were told most of the employees were Hispanic and paid weekly in cash. Officials also saw a bank vault being readied for installation.
A Confidential Informant
A confidential informant working for law enforcement was hired by Southeastern Provisions and told law enforcement he never completed any paperwork nor was he required to show any identification or documentation before being hired. The informant said he was told he didn't need a lawful identity to work at the company. He also reported he was paid in cash given to him in an envelope. The informant said most of the 60-70 employees he saw working were Hispanic.
The production workers were required to work overtime without being paid extra for their overtime hours, according to the informant. He said they were also required to work with harsh chemicals, including bleach mixed with other cleaning agents, without proper eye protection.
The informant told officials he knew several of the employees used to work at another meatpacking plant in Morristown, but were fired because their paperwork was fraudulent.
Payroll Tax Issues
Multiple withdrawals of more than $100,000 were made from Southeastern Provisions bank accounts, according to the affidavit. On IRS forms, Southeastern Provisions reported only 44 employees to the government. But based on aerial surveillance, 87 vehicles were found parked at the plant, leading authorities to believe the plant was employing 30-40 more undocumented immigrants.
Using numbers from the investigation, officials estimate that if Southeastern Provisions had properly reported wages to the IRS, they would have an additional $2.5 million payroll taxes from 2013-2016 on top of what they had already paid, according to the affidavit.
As part of the investigation, federal officials seized bank records, employee hours logs, contents of any vaults at the business, employee files and other documents.
You know, don’t you, that this will raise prices on meat? Women and children hit hardest.
BUT, I don’t mind paying more if it means a fair deal to American slaughterhouse workers and meat cutters. And, it helps legitimate businesses who play by the rules, remain in business.
Jail the owners
Seize the assets
Deport all illegal aliens
Simple
The only thing that would make this story better was if it were Tyson foods. The industry has hardly changed since Sinclair wrote The Jungle. The unions have sold out the American workers wholesale as they have found illegals will pay the same dues without clamoring for even basic concessions. Half the Midwest processing plants are 80% illegal, and the big companies are the worst offenders.
I agree, these owners should face serious prison time.
I agree. Trump should make an example by giving public recognition to the Bank employees who tipped law enforcement off.
Just as the feds didn’t bust Al Capone for killing people — they got him on tax evasion charges.
Everything old is new again.
Has Knox News Sentinel set up a fund for them yet? I stopped buying that Ultra Liberal fish wrap or even reading online. The Morristown area every time I’ve went up that way is saturated with illegals and I stopped going into Oak Ridge for the same reason several years ago. In Knoxville the Norwood/Inskip area is heavy illegal now as well. I’m close to Anderson/Knox/Union county lines so it’s not near as bad here.
I suspect if you dug into it....the local sheriff and various people in the county knew of the illegals, and this cash-method of payment. It’s probably one of dozens in the state like this....although this was seemed to be a major operation..
.....”saying ICE doesn’t have enough personnel.”
I am sure they could get some retired cops or armed forces to help- pay them % of monies recovered
interesting
32 were released.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When is that going to end?
ALL illegal aliens are removable.
We should not wait until they commit further crimes.
Why should they be given the opportunity to harm or kill Americans?
I have mixed feelings about this. Because of previous lack of enforcement, business had to hire illegals just to compete and stay in business.
I have a fundamental question, given some abject hypocrisy in some comments:
What business is it of the bank if they choose to pay their employees in cash?
Obviously there may have been other factors, but some of these comments are disturbing.
Think real hard before shooting the messenger...
Some years ago in UK, a union strike was stopped in its tracks when the company said they would publish workers take home cash pay...including overtime payments.
Seems that the workers were more afraid of their spouses finding out.
What business is it of the bank if they choose to pay their employees in cash?Banks are required by law to report large ($10,000 or more) cash deposits and withdrawals.
The bank employees were doing what they were required by law to do. They likely didn't know or care where the cash was going.
“87 vehicles were found parked at the plant” =
87 illegal drivers off the streets.
I’ve been burned by a illegal driver.
I did not have uninsured motorist
insurance.
He caused a $4500 debt, which I
had to pay.
My insurance company tried to
pursue, but his address and name
proved to be false.
Thank god, neither me, nor my wife
were seriously injured.
The owners of that meat packing plant need to be made examples of what will happen when you pull crap like this!
Not only were they taking away jobs for Americans, they were mistreating the poor slobs they hired illegally.
What ever happened to honor? to human kindness? To patriotism?
Book ‘em Danno!
Isn’t it a crime not to pay income tax (like AL Capone) on money received, making these workers criminals, causing them to be moved to the front of the line for deportation?
There needs to be something between $65 hr union meatcutters, and $10 hr illegals. The unions hosed themselves with outrageous wage demands and now few are left.
32 were released.
I thought Trump ended Catch And Release.
***********************************************
Likely they arrested everyone and those 32 turned out to be here legally.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.