May 1, 2007

Former Owner of 10 Connecticut Dunkin’ Donuts Stores Sentenced to Prison for Violating Immigration Laws
Guilford man also pays $1 million; Daughter receives probation, community service

According to an ICE press release dated 4/30/07 - United States District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven sentenced Jose Calhelha and his daughter, Diana Calhelha on April 20th. The release states as follows: "On Dec. 29, 2006, Jose Calhelha pleaded guilty to one count of illegally encouraging aliens to come to the United States and one count of illegally harboring aliens. On that same date, Diana Calhelha pleaded guilty to one count of hiring undocumented aliens. The charges stem from violations of federal immigration laws related to illegal aliens who worked at several Dunkin’ Donuts stores hat Jose Calhelha owned in Connecticut. Today, Judge Arterton ordered Jose Calhelha, age 47, of Guilford, Connecticut, to serve 10 months of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release. In addition, Calhelha has paid to the United States a monetary judgment in the amount of $1 million....... “Business owners who trample on U.S. immigration and employment laws, particularly those like Mr. Calhelha who profit handsomely from their business, risk federal prosecution and imprisonment,” U.S. Attorney O’Connor stated. “Whatever their motivation, employers who hire illegal workers have an improper advantage, as their workforce will often believe they have little recourse from long hours, unfair compensation and poor working conditions. We are committed to prosecuting these crimes vigorously, and offering assistance to victims.”

According to documents filed with the Court and statements made in court, from 2002 to until July 2005, Jose Calhelha owned and operated 10 Dunkin’ Donuts stores at locations in Branford, Westbrook, Derby, East Haven and Old Saybrook. During this time period, Jose Calhelha and others recruited aliens from Portugal for employment at Jose Calhelha’s stores by placing an advertisement in at least one Portuguese newspaper seeking individuals between the ages of 25 and 35 to work as managers at his stores. Several individuals then traveled to the United States for the purpose of working at Calhelha’s stores, and Jose Calhelha employed the aliens knowing that they did not have employment authorization to work in the U.S. Jose Calhelha directed the aliens to travel to the United States and purchased their airline tickets for travel from Portugal, or reimbursed them for the cost of their travel. Upon their arrival in the United States, Jose Calhelha transported them, or arranged for their transport, from Newark International Airport to his residence in Guilford, where some of the aliens stayed for a period of time. Jose Calhelha also rented an apartment for certain aliens to stay at while they worked at his Dunkin’ Donuts stores.

From 2003 to July 2005, Diana Calhelha was a general manager or oversaw the operations of some of Jose Calhelha’s Dunkin’ Donuts stores. During this time, Diana Calhelha engaged in a pattern and practice of hiring undocumented aliens for the purpose at working at one or more of the stores knowing that they were undocumented and not authorized to work.

“This case is about more than illegal aliens working in the U.S.,” stated ICE Special Agent-In-Charge Foucart. “It is about criminals who have shown blatant disregard for the laws of this country in favor of profit. These criminals opted to ignore U.S. law, and exploited each individual they recruited to come to this country to work illegally. ICE commends the victims who came forward to help bring this case to justice. We will continue to investigate criminals who, motivated by money, operate without regard for human dignity and the laws of this country.” Jose Calhelha sold all 10 of his Dunkin’ Donuts stores in or about July 2005.

The United States Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) investigated this case. The Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, and the Connecticut Department of Labor, Wage and Workplace Standards Division all played a key role in the investigation. " (Source www.ICE.gov)