Source: Office of United States Attorneys
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican National pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday to his role in a racketeering conspiracy to transport aliens, harbor aliens, encourage and induce aliens to reside in the United States, and falsify Form I-9 documentation.
Lorenzo Castro-Manzanarez, 43, a Mexican National living in Springfield, Mo., admitted that he was part of a RICO (racketeer influenced and corrupt organizations) conspiracy from Jan. 1, 2018, to Aug. 10, 2021, that, amongst other things, transported and harbored aliens not authorized to live or work in the United States. Castro-Manzanarez admitted that as part of the conspiracy he also encouraged and induced aliens to reside in the United States in violation of the law by providing them with employment and allowing them to work under fraudulent identification documentation. Castro-Manzanarez took these actions in furtherance of keeping multiple Mexican restaurants across the Midwest staffed and profitable, thereby gaining an illegal competitive business advantage. Castro-Manzanarez also admitted that as part of the conspiracy he falsely claimed and attested to be a United States citizen on a Form I-9 and utilized a counterfeit Social Security card as part of the Form I-9 process.
Castro-Manzanarez also admitted that after being indicted in this case—and while on bond—he continued to break federal law by employing aliens, providing aliens with housing at residences in his name, and allowing aliens to work at his restaurants utilizing fraudulent identification documentation, including counterfeit Social Security cards. Castro-Manzanarez further admitted that he took these illegal actions to ensure his restaurants in Springfield, Mo., Columbia, Mo., and Jefferson City, Mo., remained staffed and profitable.
Castro-Manzanarez was taken into custody at the conclusion of his plea hearing and will remain in custody pending sentencing.
Under federal statutes, Castro-Manzanarez is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of Castro-Manzanarez will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rudolph R. Rhodes IV, Nicholas P. Heberle, David Wagner, and Leigh Farmakidis. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the United States Postal Inspection Service; Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General; Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations; Kansas Bureau of Investigation; Kansas Department of Labor; Missouri State Highway Patrol; Kansas Highway Patrol; and Butler Police Department.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).