NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) _ A Connecticut businessman pleaded guilty Friday to federal charges that he illegally recruited Portuguese immigrants to work in his 10 Dunkin' Donuts franchises.
Jose Calhelha, 47, of Guilford, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to two of the original seven counts he faced after being indicted in January, The Hartford Courant reported on its Web site Friday.
Calhelha entered the guilty plea to two felony charges: enticing illegal aliens to the U.S. and harboring illegal aliens.
The plea deal limits his potential prison time to no more than 16 months, and he will forfeit $1 million to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. He could have faced up to 20 years in prison on the counts if the case had gone to trial.
Prosecutors said Calhelha placed employment advertisements in Portuguese newspapers, then illegally brought managers to the United States to work in his 10 stores in Branford, Westbrook, Derby, East Haven and Old Saybrook.
The managers were paid about $250 a week for up to 85 hours of work, including landscaping, painting and snow removal at his businesses and home, according to the indictment. They lived in Calhelha's home or in an apartment he rented.
His daughter, 23-year-old Diana Calhelha, also pleaded guilty Friday to one misdemeanor count of hiring undocumented aliens.
She could face up to six months in prison, but Assistant U.S. Attorney Krishna Patel told Judge Janet Bond Arterton she would recommend one year of supervised release and an unspecified amount of community service, The Courant reported.
They both are scheduled to be sentenced March 19.
Information from: The Hartford Courant, http://www.courant.com
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
