NEWBURGH—A dozen individuals, said to be illegal immigrants, were arrested early Thursday morning at Stewart Airport in Newburgh and charged with first degree falsifying business records and first degree offering a false instrument for filing.
The defendants, all of whom resided in Newburgh with the exception of two who lived in New Windsor.
Wilian Castillo-Pineda,24, from Guatemala; Gerson M Loarte, 21, from Peru; Amelia Mejia-Montesinos, 36, from Mexico; Hugo N Saguilan, 28, from Mexico; Raul O Martinez, 40, from Chile; Enrique Zavaleta, 44, from Mexico; Jamie Serrano, 31, of New Windsor, from Mexico; Pablo R Serrano, 53, of New Windsor, from Mexico; Francisco Duque-Gonzalez, 40, of Mexico; Roberto C Galdamez, 21, from El Salvador; Pedro A Galdamez, 24, from El Salvador and Antonio Isidoro, 30, from Mexico.
An investigation by the NYSP at Stewart Airport and ICE revealed that illegal immigrants used false documents to obtain employment at Empire Warehouse Solutions at 149 Cargo Road in Newburgh. Once employed at the facility the workers had access to airport operations areas of the airport.
The investigation was initiated by an alert airport employee who questioned suspicious documents that were presented to him. During the verification process of these documents it was discovered that multiple employees of that facility had utilized similar forged documents to gain employment and access to airport operations areas. The documents consisted mainly of fake Social Security and resident alien cards. The investigation has revealed that there is no indication that these individuals ever posed a risk to the traveling public at the airport or had any connection to broader criminal activity, State Police said.
All of the defendants were processed at SP Montgomery and committed to the Orange County Jail in lieu of bail. Upon the adjudication of these charges the majority of these defendants will be held for deportation to their home countries, police said.
The investigation into the source of these documents is ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact the BCI at SP Montgomery at (845) 457 1388 or ICE at (866) DHS 2ICE. 12-17-09
Illegal Aliens Busted At Airport For Phony Docs
http://www.northcountrygazette.org/2009/12/17/airport_aliens/