Source: Office of United States Attorneys
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – John Robert Coe, 66, of Parkersburg and a retired Wood County Board of Education employee, pleaded guilty today to continuing to employ a known illegal alien.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from early 2011 until May 12, 2021, a foreign national from Madagascar worked without monetary compensation at the business that Coe co-owned with Frederick Sayre Anderson. Coe admitted that, at some point in 2011, he learned the foreign national’s presence in the United States was unlawful. Coe further admitted that the foreign national continued to work at the business until May 12, 2021, despite her illegal immigration status.
The foreign national was also housed at the business, sleeping in an office converted into a bedroom. The business has no shower or bathing facilities. Coe permitted the foreign national to bathe at his residence, though at times the foreign national was unable to shower at Coe’s residence.
The business is a laboratory that provides water quality testing kits to state and local governments across the country. Coe admitted that the foreign national performed work for the business including shipping supplies to customers, receiving customer service calls, and handling the company’s accounts receivable.
Coe further admitted that he also had the foreign national perform side jobs for him during this time period. These side jobs included cleaning his residence and editing history book manuscripts that he was preparing for publication. Coe compensated the foreign national in cash for these side jobs.
On May 7, 2021, Coe learned from Anderson that federal immigration agents were at the business and searching for the foreign national. Coe admitted that Anderson suggested later that day that they move the foreign national into Coe’s residence. Coe further admitted that he did not want the foreign national moving into his residence. They discussed moving the foreign national into a motel before agreeing that the foreign national should remain at the business. On May 12, 2021, the foreign national permanently left the business with the assistance of federal authorities.
Coe is scheduled to be sentenced on May 5, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of six months in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $3,000 fine. Coe has agreed to pay $54,740 in restitution.
Anderson, 64, of Parkersburg, pleaded guilty on January 4, 2024, to concealing, harboring, and shielding an alien from detection and awaits sentencing.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the West Virginia State Police, and the Parkersburg Police Department.
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-178.
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