4 In Ark. Family Plead Guilty To Hiring Illegals

The U.S. attorney's office at Fort Smith says four members of an Arkansas family have pleaded guilty to charges that they harbored, transported and employed illegal aliens.

A news release Monday from the office of U.S. Attorney Deborah Groom said the pleas were entered by Leoncio Amador-Villanueva, 42, Jose "Manuel" Amador Villanueva, 39, and Kelle Stubbs-Amador, 32, all of Alma, and Juan Amador-Villaneuva, 43, of Batesville.

Chris Plumlee, an assistant U.S. attorney, said Sept. 23 raids on four sites in Arkansas turned up about 15 illegal aliens working at Amador Poultry Contracting and J&A Loading, businesses operated by the Amadors.

The news release said "illegal aliens were knowingly hired by the defendants to work on chicken-catching crews, who were transported to various work sites, and were paid in cash."