Image Credit: ICE 
A federal grand jury has indicted an illegal alien accused of persuading Guatemalan minors to travel to the U.S. to work for him, authorities say.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) just announced a slew of charges against Brayan Adiel Gramajo Reyes, a Guatemalan national living in the U.S. illegally.
On Feb. 28, ICE Homeland Security Investigations arrested Gramajo Reyes for alleged illegal business practices uncovered during a human trafficking investigation.
Authorities say Gramajo Reyes lured two juveniles from Guatemala with “prospects of opportunity” in the U.S. before forcing them to “work long hours of physical labor” at a business in Caldwell, Idaho.
“Rescuing unaccompanied children who are tragically exploited and trafficked is a top HSI priority,” said HSI Seattle acting Special Agent in Charge April Miller.
“Our investigation underscores HSI’s resolve to enforce our U.S. law and safeguard every child. Additionally, worksite enforcement is central to protecting our communities — targeting illegal employment networks, rescuing victims and stopping fraudulent business practices that harm real Americans.”
Charges against Gramajo Reyes include two counts of encouraging illegal entry of aliens to enter the United States, eight counts of using false statements for employment verification by attesting that Social Security numbers were genuine and that the employees were authorized to work in the United States, knowing that was false, and one count of unlawful employment of aliens.
“If convicted of counts one through ten, Gramajo-Reyes faces a maximum of five years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000 for each count. If convicted of count eleven, he faces up to six months in prison and a $3,000 fine for each alien that he unlawfully employed,” U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis explained in a press release.
Gramajo Reyes was scheduled to make his first appearance in federal court on March 5.
The Second Great Crusade Has Begun
