The owners of a small chain of restaurants in northern Arizona, along with two undocumented immigrants, were arrested and charged with federal crimes for allegedly employing undocumented workers following a three-year labor exploitation investigation.
Robert and Brenda Clouston, owners of four Colt Grill locations in Arizona and one in Alabama, were arrested on Tuesday, along with two Mexican men, Luis Pedro Rogel-Jaimes and Iris Romero-Molina, who were illegally in the United States.
According to a federal indictment issued on May 27, they are all charged with conspiracy to transport illegal aliens, conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens, conspiracy to encourage and induce an alien to unlawfully enter the United States, and pattern and practice of knowingly employing unauthorized aliens.
According to the accusation, in September 2022, the Cloustons, Rogel-Jaimes, and Romero-Molina devised a plan for Romero-Molina to launch a cleaning company called R&R AZ Cleaning.
Rogel-Jaimes and Romero-Molina allegedly hired undocumented laborers to work at the Colt Grill eateries. These employees would subsequently be paid through R&R using money made from the eateries.
According to a press release from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the workers were paid less than the minimum wage and were not compensated for overtime work.
ICE also claimed that the Cloustons, Romero-Molina, and Rogel-Jaimes benefitted financially from the scam and failed to pay required employment taxes on the undocumented workers.
On Tuesday, a search warrant was served to all five Colt Grill locations and 12 homes across two states. The Cloustons, Rogel-Jaimes, and Romero-Molina were all arrested without incident, as were a number of undocumented laborers.
“This multiyear case involving several federal charges is a testament of our commitment to combatting crime that has a true impact to communities,” ICE Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Ray Rede said in the release.
The Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office supported HSI in serving search warrants.
“Coordinated, multiagency enforcement actions like this one are essential to protecting our communities from the destabilizing impacts of organized crime,” Yavapai County Sheriff David Rhodes said. “By working together, we will continue to leverage every available resource to safeguard the people of Yavapai County from those who seek to do harm.”
How much time could Colt Grill restaurant owners spend in prison if convicted?
Each of the four conspiracy charges carries a maximum sentence of ten years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
Meanwhile, the charge of patterning and practicing intentionally employing unauthorized aliens carries a potential penalty of six months in prison and a $3,000 fine per undocumented worker.
This investigation was part of Operation Take Back America, a national Department of Justice operation aimed at combating illegal immigration.
