BOSTON - A Shrewsbury man was convicted yesterday in federal court of assisting aliens to enter and remain in the United States illegally.
Marcio Freitas, 44, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Dennis F. Saylor, IV to two counts of encouraging an illegal alien to come to or remain in the United States when such entry or residence will be illegal.
Had the case proceeded to trial the Government’s evidence would have proven that Freitas, a Brazilian citizen who was employed by a Massachusetts landscaping company, persuaded his employer to sponsor Brazilian nationals to receive temporary work visas to allow them to enter and remain in the U.S. for approximately 10 months. Freitas charged each Brazilian thousands of dollars for the visas, but had no intention of placing them in jobs. Freitas illegally assisted numerous Brazilians, the majority of whom did not return to Brazil at the end of the 10-month visa period.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 2, 2012. Freitas faces 12 months and one day in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.
United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Todd R. Ziccarelli, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security’s Boston Field Office; Robert L. Panella, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations; and Bruce M. Foucart, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of Ortiz’s Major Crimes Unit.
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