12 FROM HOMEDALE PLANT FACE CRIMINAL CHARGES

Twelve of the 13 employees arrested on April 2 by immigration authorities at Specialty, Inc. Wood Products Company in Homedale now face federal charges.

A grand jury in Boise indicted 10 men and two women last week on charges of possession of counterfeit alien registration receipt cards, misuse of Social Security numbers, aggravated identity theft, and illegal entry or re-entry after deportation, both immigration violations.

Those charged are Herminio Villa-Gonzalez, 21; Isrobel Madrigal-Valdez, 22; Rolando Hurtado-Vega, 33; Juan Benavides-Ayon, 24; Adan Ortiz-Ruiz, 38; Jesus Nuno-Coronado, 44; Adulfo Gonzalez-Hernandez, 29; Manuel Chavez-Elias, 38; Ventura Vargas-Ruiz, 21; Reyes Becerril-Luis, 20; Elba Machuca-Macias, 37; and Amelia Ramos-Alcala, 27.

Villa-Gonzalez, Madrigal-Valdez, Benavides-Ayon, Ortiz-Ruiz, and Nuno-Coronado immediately pled guilty and were deported. Trial is scheduled in Boise on June 9 for Gonzalez- Hernandez and Machuca-Macias; Hurtado-Vega and Chavez-Elias have a trial date of June 17. Ms. Ramos-Alcala's arraignment is scheduled on April 24.

The defendants face sentences of up to 10 years for possession of counterfeit alien registration receipt cards; five years for misuse of Social Security numbers; two years for identity theft; and six months to a maximum of 20 years for illegal entry or re-entry after deportation. Any sentence imposed will be under the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines, according to the nature of the offense and the defendant's criminal background, if any.

The case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Boise Office.

For those defendants who have not admitted guilt, an indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government's burden to establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.