A Santa Maria man was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison on August 31 for illegally collecting thousands of dollars in fees from Mexican nationals in exchange for work visas.
According to the Department of Justice, in a fraudulent move, Jorge Vasquez charged more than 162 workers between $8,000 and $15,000 for H-2A visas to work in the U.S.
The H-2A program allows U.S.-based agricultural employers to hire temporary foreign workers when they cannot find sufficient domestic labor; however, the program prohibits employers from charging workers visa fees.
After illegally charging workers visa fees, Vasquez and his co-conspirators then mailed applications for H-2A visas to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), claiming that they did not collect visa fees from their employees.
In addition to charging workers for their H-2A visas, Vasquez paid farm workers at his Cuyama Valley and JJB farm locations at a reduced rate. According to the DOJ, Vasquez paid workers approximately $3.25 less per hour than what was promised at the JJB location and $3.50 less at the Cuyama farm.
The 65-year-old was sentenced by United States District Judge John F. Walter, who ordered Vasquez to pay $165,157 in restitution. Back in June, Vasquez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
