Minn. man accused of transporting illegal workers

By AMY FORLITI
Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A 46-year-old St. Peter man indicted on charges of transporting and harboring illegal immigrants had allegedly provided larger poultry companies in Minnesota with some of his workers, according to a federal affidavit.

Juan Arrazolo was charged this week with one count of transporting an illegal immigrant and one count of harboring an illegal immigrant, both for his own financial gain.

Arrazolo operates a business called Poultry Services Management, which provides labor to various poultry farms. The work includes "trimming beaks, vaccinating chickens, and similar duties," according to the affidavit by Immigration and Customs Enforcement Special Agent Charles Bautch.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said Arrazolo provided workers for large corporate poultry farms in Minnesota and the surrounding area. The affidavit specifically lists Gold'n Plump, Michael Foods and Crystal Farms as companies that contracted with Arrazolo.

Messages left with spokespeople for those companies were not returned Friday.

The affidavit suggests Arrazolo knew his workers were in the U.S. illegally. According to the affidavit, one worker told Arrazolo he was here illegally and "Arrazolo told him it was not a problem."

That worker, a Honduran identified by the initials F.J.J., told authorities that about two dozen people, some of whom were in the U.S. without legal permission, traveled from farm to farm working for Arrazolo.

F.J.J. told authorities that U.S. citizens do not want.

"I'm sad that it's oftentimes the case that the small fish is fried as an example," he said. "I'm hoping that justice, fairness, and common sense is ultimately what prevails."