Posted: Jul 27, 2010 11:14 AM
MARICOPA COUNTY - Maricopa County Sheriff's deputies Tuesday morning served search warrants on Valley View Building Services Inc., 2402 S. 19th Street in Phoenix, looking for 25 suspects of identity theft.
Sheriff Joe Arpaio reports that detectives became aware of information through sources that the local business was contracted to conduct the cleanup of newly constructed buildings at the U.S. Military's Fort Huachuca in Sierra Vista, Arizona.
After a three month investigation, detectives believe that there are as many as 25 suspects working at the business with false identification and are suspected of being in the country illegally.
Sheriff Arpaio says, "I have deep concerns that people who come into our country illegally have managed to gain access onto an active U.S. Military installation. This cause for concern goes well beyond the argument that people are only committing the crime of wanting to work in this country."
A total of five suspects were arrested during Tuesday morning's search warrant. Three of the five were targets of the investigation. A U.S. citizen was arrested for an outstanding warrant and one employee was turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement for being suspected of being in the country illegally but was not a target of the investigation.
Sheriff's deputies are continuing their search for the remaining suspects at other off site work locations and will continue their investigation of Valley View Building Services Inc.
This investigation marks the 37th investigation where sheriff's deputies have gone into business establishments and arrested over 400 employees. Of those employees arrested, 278 were suspected of identity theft, fraud, and were also illegal immigrants.
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