Columbia Farms Added to Federal Indictment of Greenville's Plant Alleged Hiring Violations

United States Attorney W. Walter Wilkins stated today that Columbia Farms, Inc., was named in a 50-count Second Superseding Indictment charging federal violations involving the hiring of illegal aliens in its Greenville, South Carolina, processing plant. The company joins two of its employees, Human Resources Manager Elaine C. Crump and Complex Manager Barry Cronic, who were previously indicted by the federal grand jury for criminal violations related to their respective hiring activities.

The 29 charges naming Columbia Farms allege that through Crump and Cronic, Columbia Farms “did knowingly continue to employ the aliens listed below, in the United States, knowing such aliens had become unauthorized with respect to such employment on the dates set forth below....” The Indictment then lists 29 employees who worked at the facility, despite the alleged knowledge of Crump, Cronic, and Columbia Farms that the 29 were unauthorized by federal law to be employed.

Crump is named in all 50 counts, including 20 felony counts charging her with instructing employees of the plant’s human resources department to falsify employment documents required by federal authorities in the hiring of non-citizens, and one misdemeanor count of knowingly hiring unauthorized aliens. Cronic is named in 30 misdemeanor counts, including one count of knowingly hiring unauthorized aliens. Crump and Cronic face potential prison sentences and fines, while Columbia Farms could be fined if convicted.

Mr. Wilkins stated that the case was investigated by agents of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The United States Attorney stated that all charges in this Indictment are merely accusations and that all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

COLUMBIA FARMS SUPERVISOR SENTENCED

United States Attorney W. Walter Wilkins stated that John Jairo Johnson-Amaya, age 51, was sentenced today in federal court in Greenville, South Carolina, for aggravated identity theft, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1028A. United States District Judge Henry Herlong, Jr., sentenced Johnson-Amaya to 24 months in prison. Johnson-Amaya faces deportation after he completes his prison sentence.

Johnson-Amaya had been employed as a supervisor at the Columbia Farms’ Greenville chicken processing plant. A work site enforcement operation by agents of the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement last October revealed that Johnson-Amaya had used another person’s social security number on the employment forms he submitted to Columbia Farms.

The case was investigated by agents of the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant United States Attorney Max Cauthen of the Greenville office handled the case.

US Senate Race

According to a press release, Republican U.S. Senate Candidate Buddy Witherspoon defeated U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham in a straw poll that was conducted at the Greenville County Republican Stump Rally over the weekend. Greenville County Republican officials said Buddy Witherspoon clearly won this poll and that it wasn't even close.

The South Carolina Republican Primary will be held June 10.

Do you know who Buddy Witherspoon is? Have you met him or Sen. Graham? Do you think the Republicans in Greenville voted the way people in Darlington County would vote?

Please post your thoughts and experiences with either candidate here.

Furman Faculty Protest President Bush’s Visit to Campus

A vocal group consisting of about half of the faculty and some students at Furman University attacked the university’s decision to invite President Bush to deliver a May 31 commencement address. However, a much larger student-led group supports Bush’s visit.
The faculty wrote a “Petition of Opposition” signed by 222 people. University officials posted the objection letter on the college’s official website here. According to Furman University Director of Media Relations Vince Moore, the petition is signed by half of Furman’s full-time faculty and some students. He added that faculty spouses, alumni, and staff acted as co-signers as well.
Campus club Conservative Students for A Better Tomorrow, a student group in friendly cooperation with the Leadership Institute, in Arlington, Virginia, criticized the faculty’s and university’s actions in a “Support Our Seniors” letter. Here is the student group's response.
The students collected nearly 400 signatures from the Furman community, over 260 of whom are students. The group will request that administrators post their view alongside that of the Bush opponents. The senior class student leadership voted unanimously to invite the President to address the class of 2008.

Do you think the faculty should have said anything? Post your comments below.