Posted on 08/02/2003 5:47:05 AM PDT by csvset
Lottery-winning immigrant runs afoul of the rules
By TIM MCGLONE, The Virginian-Pilot
© August 2, 2003
NORFOLK -- Francisco Padilla Gonzalez came to the United States from Mexico in search of a fortune that most of his countrymen end up only dreaming about.
Padilla, though, hit it big. After winning $1.4 million in the California lottery, he moved to Hampton Roads and opened three Mexican restaurants.
His dream life fell apart this month when federal agents raided one of his restaurants in Franklin and arrested him and seven others on charges of running a pipeline of illegal immigrants from Mexico.
On Thursday, federal Magistrate Tommy E. Miller, after congratulating Padilla on his lottery jackpot, set bond at $50,000. His next court date will be Wednesday.
A California lottery official confirmed on Friday that Padilla won $1.4 million in 1989. He has been receiving $58,000 after taxes each year since then. The payments run out in 2009.
Padilla, 47, known as ``Pancho,'' has been in the country since the mid-1980s and is a legal permanent resident. He could not be reached for comment.
He is a partner in three Mexican restaurants in the region, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Only one was named in court: the Los Amigos restaurant in Franklin.
It was at that restaurant where Padilla and his business partner, Ubaldo Gomez Mercado, 33, employed illegal workers from Mexico, according to an indictment unsealed this week in federal court.
The indictment also says the pair bought a house in the 1100 block of Clay St., Franklin, to house the illegal workers.
According to the indictment, the pipeline ran from the Mexican border in Arizona to destinations in Kentucky, New Jersey, Georgia, Florida and Virginia. Some illegal immigrants paid $1,000 to be smuggled in, the papers say. Others had to work off the fee at the Franklin restaurant, the papers claim.
Federal agents raided the restaurant, the home on Clay Street and two apartments in Franklin on July 22. They seized numerous documents, including what appeared to be phony immigration identification papers, according to search warrants filed in court.
The case began on June 30 when a Franklin police detective ``encountered'' two of the men later indicted. The officer found 18 Mexicans living in the Clay Street home and called immigration authorities.
Four of the 18 were juveniles. They were sent back to Mexico. An unidentified man and woman and their five children were sent to New Jersey to face immigration court proceedings. Officials said other suspected illegal immigrants found at the four locations were detained pending deportation.
Padilla and Gomez were charged with conspiracy to transport and harbor illegal immigrants. At Thursday's hearing, bond was set at $50,000 for Padilla and $25,000 for Gomez. If they post the bond, they will be confined to home or the restaurant and they must wear electronic monitors.
Others charged in the 10-count indictment with transporting and harboring illegal immigrants are Alicia Ayala Gallardo, 19; Jose Alphonso Alvarez Bravo, 27; Juan Carlos Ayala, 26; Miguel Angel DiazCaballero, 19; Juran Valenzuela Lopez, 20; and Jose Alvarez Bravo, 22.
Ayala Gallardo, who is two months pregnant, was freed on $2,500 bond. The rest were detained pending trial.
Makes sense to me on several accounts. If he owns property, he has an address and is more likely to show up in court. Since he has some assets, can afford a lawyer, and authorities prefer to deal with lawyers. Owning property puts a big bullseye on everyone in the US, citizen or no.
It is quite an accomplishment to win the lottery. One must train and condition themsevles for years.
Talk about mixed thoughts on this one. How often fo lottery winners actually plow their winnings into businesses and investments rather than piss away all of it on fast cars, trips to Vegas, blow, and never-ending parties? Nevertheless, this guy has exploited everything possible in this country that a person can take advantage of and not really earn it. Though it says "legal immigrant" I wonder if he was an Amnesty Immigrant.
The case began on June 30 when a Franklin police detective ``encountered'' two of the men later indicted. The officer found 18 Mexicans living in the Clay Street home and called immigration authorities.
Some illegal immigrants paid $1,000 to be smuggled in, the papers say. Others had to work off the fee at the Franklin restaurant, the papers claim.
I almost posted the story about the 18 Mexicans that were busted back in June.
I'd guess that either somebody squealed, "I paid the SOB $1,000 and now I'm getting booted back to the Mexico" or "Senor Gonzalez works me like a dog at his taco stand", or the cops figured it out through some other means.
The move to take over and destroy America and all of her freedoms has been on-going since we told King George to stick it.
All avenues are viable to the antis ... business, politics (Socialist Democrats for instance), schools, churches (that's right .. churches ... those that say give me a child until he is seven and he'll be a _______ for life), etc.
Pancho put one and one together and figured out that his legitimate status as a citizen could be used to import illigitimate people, first for his own use and secondarilly to increase the hispanic poulation. (which traditionally (but may be changing) has voted democratic)
Hell, what's the use in having a fifth column if you don't use it, eh?
Revoke his citizenship and deport him.
Let him keep the money.
Hmmm, I wondered why, so many Mexicans were working in Chinese restaurants, here in Ky. How do you say "Chicken Fried Rice w/ Small Egg Drop Soup" in Mex.
It pretty much does ---they don't deport illegals with or without citizen children, but those with citizen children can and usually do collect welfare benefits on them.
The term for that is "indentured servants". This man isn't content with a sizeable amount of money, his greed got the best of him, he could have afforded to hire Americans and legal Mexicans but he wanted the most profit he could get by bringing in slaves.
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