Friday, November 30, 2012

Former desk clerk at Overland Park Hotel sentenced on immigration charge

U.S. Justice Department

A former desk clerk at an Overland Park hotel whose owners were indicted on charges of knowingly hiring undocumented aliens has been sentenced on an immigration charge and faces immediate deportation, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said today.

The former clerk, Syed Naqvi, 34, a citizen of Pakistan who has been living in Overland Park, Kan, pleaded guilty to one count of failing to depart from the United States as ordered.

In his plea, he admitted that on July 12, 2011, a U.S. immigration judge ordered him to leave the United States. On Aug. 15, 2012, Naqvi was found to be continuing to reside in the United States.

U.S. District Judge Carlos Murguia sentenced Naqvi, who has been in federal custody since his arrest in the case Sept. 11, to time served, with the direction that he be turned over to immigration authorities for deportation.

Naqvi was a desk clerk at the Clarion Hotel at 7000 W. 108th Street in Overland Park, Kan.

The owners, Munir Ahmad Chaudary and his wife, Rhonda R. Bridge, were indicted in September on one count of conspiracy to harbor undocumented workers for personal gain, five counts of harboring undocumented workers for personal gain and four counts of wire fraud.

They are awaiting trial.

Grissom commended Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Kansas Department of Revenue (KDOR) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson for their work on the case.