The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office is investigating 31 workers at Mesa’s Alpine Valley Bread bakery outlet as possible illegal immigrants who obtained their jobs through stolen Social Security numbers and fake driver’s licenses.
The sweep by Sheriff Joe Arpaio and deputies started about 10 a.m. Thursday. As of 2 p.m., 24 workers had been arrested and the bakery had closed as deputies continued to investigate other workers, according to Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who was at the business at 300 W. Southern Ave.
No Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials were at the bakery Thursday morning, but Arpaio said he plans to continue cracking down on illegal immigrants who commit crimes to obtain their jobs and the companies who knowingly employ them during a time when many American workers are out of work.
“People accuse me of arresting just dishwashers,” Arpaio told a large group of reporters in front of the store. “These people are committing crimes to get their jobs. Stealing someone’s identity is a felony.”
Arpaio would not say who provided a tip to authorities that the bakery could be employing illegal immigrants with stolen identities.
A number of the workers from the company’s production, packaging and distribution departments were being taken away in buses in the wake of the sweep.
Christina Armenta, a former cake production worker at the bakery, was among a group of people standing across the street from the business watching what was happening. She said she quit working at the bakery a month ago because she could not find a babysitter. Armenta said she had been working 12-hour days, five days a week and receiving a lot of overtime, but before she quit she was put on salary and made less money.
She had arrived at the business on Thursday morning to pick up a letter from her former employer she could provide to the Department of Economic Services.
“I came into the surprise of this,” Armenta said. “My uncle and cousin work in there and a lot of my friends still do. I’m not worried about my uncle and cousin — they’re good to go, but I saw some of my friends being taken away in the bus.”
Armenta said she was afraid some of her friends might be deported.
“I feel bad for everybody,” Armenta said.
Arturo Garcia, who has worked in packaging for distribution to vendors at the bakery for a little more than a year, was supposed to start working at 2 p.m. Thursday, but came down to the bakery when he heard about the raid.
“I was shocked,” Arturo said. “I didn’t think this would happen here. The people are really hard-working loyal people. Many of them have kids. But, I know if you’re working without the proper identification, that’s against the law.”
Arpaio told reporters the incident at Alpine Valley Bread is further proof that more needs to be done to combat illegal immigration. He also mentioned that his deputies arrested an illegal immigrant Wednesday night who had somehow come to be inside the Palo Verde Nuclear Plant west of Phoenix.
“This causes great concern to me about the lackadaisical security at these government facilities, and that the government is allowing these people to come inside these facilities,” Arpaio said.
Arpaio did not comment about why the person arrested at the nuclear facility was there. The sheriff’s office was expected to release more information later in the day.
• Contact writer: (480) 898-6533 or msakal@evtrib.com
AmericanPatriot posted at 2:03 pm on Thu, Jul 14, 2011.
Right, illegal aliens are only doing the jobs Americans wont do like baking bread? This will open up 31 more jobs for American citizens. How could any American citizen complain about that?
azconan posted at 2:05 pm on Thu, Jul 14, 2011.
Sheriif Nazi Joe has over 100,000 outstanding warrants in his county. MANY of which are easily served. Some of these are simple dui's others are dangerous felons. Either way they wont make the news doing his job day to day. Instead he likes these sweeps becaus e they get him publicity. Doing his job daily doesnt do a thing for him publicity ways. Sure you love when he gets those darn hard working illegals. Darn them for feeding their families and illegally crossing our border ! Its fine that Sheriff Nazi Joe had to use $200,000 tax payer dolalrs to pay two Hispanics he illegally detained a few months ago. Its fine that $2,000,000 is unaccounted for. Its fine that the feds are looking at him for violating the civil rights and laws of this country. Thats fine. BEcause he got 20 illegal immigrants today. Those violent illegals were paying rent, buying food, and all the rest. Sure they had illegal ID's but there isnt a man or woman reading this that wouldnt do EXACTLY what they did to feed their families. To flee to violence and chaos in Mexico. MUCH of which we have caused. Sure you hypocrits, because your parents fornicated here instead of another country you be pompous holier than thou . SHERIIF NAZI JOE should be getting real criminals off the street ! Serve the 100k warrants you cant handle NOW.
azconan posted at 2:13 pm on Thu, Jul 14, 2011.
Well genius American Patriot, YOU wont do it for the wage they have to pay to survive. SO you say, raise the pay. Well genius thats great, then they can raise the price for their bread . Then you dont buy it because its to costly. Then they lay off every single employee and go out of business. Hows that working for you so far? Unemployment at 9.2% and here in Arizona its worse.
AmericanPatriot posted at 2:28 pm on Thu, Jul 14, 2011.
Didn't take long for the famouse Arizona Nazi Hunter to chime in. lol Because Joe goes after illegal aliens doing jobs Americans will do, he is accused of doing nothing else but that. Check the sheriff's web site azconan and you will see that the sheriff is arresting many more people than illegal aliens. In fact, illegal alien arrests account for just a fraction of all arrests made by the sheriff's office, but for azconan and other Nazi hunters who only know what they read in the paper you would think that the sheriff only targets illegal aliens and no one else. How retarded does that get. He talks about these illegal aliens who steal American ID's (a felony) and the food out of the mouths of American citizen's children as if they are just hard working illegals. And then he tries to prove his point by pointing out how some libertard judges gave some Latinos hundreds of thousands of dollars because the sheriff detained them a few months ago. Then he throws in this 2 million dollar figure with no explanation other that it's missing? The feds will be looking into Joe for the rest of their natural born lives and still wont find anything wrong. But that's how pro illegal libertards do things these days (Obama).
"To flee to violence and chaos in Mexico. MUCH of which we have caused. Sure you hypocrits, because your parents fornicated here instead of another country you be pompous holier than thou . SHERIIF NAZI JOE should be getting real criminals off the street ! Serve the 100k warrants you cant handle NOW."
You can't even make this stuff up people. This guy is retarded.
Accuracy posted at 2:30 pm on Thu, Jul 14, 2011.
After the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office executed a search warrant, Sheriff Joe Arpaio made at least 12 arrests Thursday at a raid of the Alpine Valley Bread Co. (near Country Club Drive and Southern Avenue) in Mesa.
According to Sheriff Joe, people opposed to the raids should contact lawmakers, referring to Arizona's "Legal Workers Arizona Act, that the US Supreme Court upheld. Arizona law that imposes sanctions against businesses that hire illegal immigrants.
It's unclear whether or not the employers at the bread company will face any charges . . 31 people are suspected of being in the country illegally and that they had used false identification documents, mainly Social Security cards.
LinMesa posted at 2:43 pm on Thu, Jul 14, 2011.
Why is Arpaio even in Mesa? Mesa has their own police force. Arpaio is the County sheriff, c-o-u-n-t-y sheriff. On the MCSO website, it was stated in two places that the sheriff's jurisdiction was outside city limits and inside any town that had specifically asked for his protection. I don't think that Phoenix, Mesa, Tempe, Chandler and other cities would be included in that request. Arpaio is nothing but an old clown.
Juggernaut6000 posted at 2:44 pm on Thu, Jul 14, 2011.
I'm glad someone in this state still wants to get rid of these criminals.
AmericanPatriot posted at 2:46 pm on Thu, Jul 14, 2011.
So azconan, are you saying that Americans wont do the work for minimum wage or that the illegals were being paid less than minimum wage? So it's too costly to employ American citizens? So the bakery will have to close their doors cause it costs too much to employ American citizens at minimum wages? Do you even think about what you're stating before pressing the post button? lol YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST FOLKS! HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT IN ARIZONA IS DUE TO JOE ARPAIO ARRESTING HARD WORKING ILLEGAL ALIENS WHO STEAL AMERICAN ID'S AND THE FOOD OUT OF AMERICAN WORKER'S CHILDREN'S MOUTHS!
daveofthedesert posted at 3:01 pm on Thu, Jul 14, 2011.
Glad to see our "brave" sheriff risked his life avoiding bread dough to bust a couple of dangerous bakers. If there were no cameras the obese Joke arpiehole wouldn't show up.
azconan posted at 3:02 pm on Thu, Jul 14, 2011.
Im saying your average American TODAY is lazy. They expect the government to take care of them, the rich to support them and they expect to get something for nothing. YES Im saying the average American wont work for minimum wage. The average American is lazy today ! Thats why we are in this mess ! I own a business and let me tell you, offer an American minimum wage and they laugh at you. We are a lazy society who blames all our problems on everyone else. Its the rich, its the illegals, its the Republicans, its everyone but US !
AmericanPatriot posted at 3:06 pm on Thu, Jul 14, 2011.
Oh, so the sheriff's office now needs permission from cities within the county to pursue a criminal complaint brought to them, LinMesa? Should sheriff's patrol cars stay out of Mesa as well, LinMesa? lol Are they even allowed to pursue a criminal past Mesa city limits if the criminal runs to Mesa. Do they have to stop at the city line and let the criminal go or seek city permission to continue the pursuit? I swear you really can't make this stuff up folks. These people are really commenting what they truly think is real.
AmericanPatriot posted at 3:22 pm on Thu, Jul 14, 2011.
Oh I see. It's the unemployed American workers fault that they are unemployed. Thanks for clarifying that for me. All this time I thought it was the business owners fault for creating the high unemployment here in America. Isn't that what you pro illegal alien people have been telling us that it's the businesses fault for hiring the illegals, and that is why we have this illegal alien problem, and we shouldn't blame the hard working illegals who just want to come here and make a better life for themselves and their families? Now I see that it's really the fat and lazy Americans fault who wont work for minimum wages baking bread. I have several younger members of my family working very hard at minimum wage jobs because you have to start somewhere, so don't even try to tell me what the problem is. YOU AND YOUR KIND ARE THE PROBLEM HERE AZCONAN!
AmericanPatriot posted at 3:30 pm on Thu, Jul 14, 2011.
No daveofthedesert, it's people like you who make such a big deal over the sheriff arresting a few illegal, ID stealing, felons is why this is such big news. You see daveofthedesert, news media cater to your type so they go after this type of event to serve you the reader.
DuhWhat posted at 3:47 pm on Thu, Jul 14, 2011.
AmericanPatriot...I wouldn't waste your breath on them.
It's like my dad used to tell me. Don't argue with a fool...not only do you lower yourself to his level, but once there, he has the advantage.
NothingButTheTruth posted at 4:07 pm on Thu, Jul 14, 2011.
I'll agree with that DuhWhat. Fact is you can't teach an idiot that he's an idiot because he's too much of an idiot to see that he's an idiot.
In_God_We_Trust posted at 5:10 pm on Thu, Jul 14, 2011.
I read this article and thought it was about catching a few dozen felonious illegal aliens using stolen ID's to work here in America. Then I read the comments and saw that it was really about fat, lazy Americans who refuse to work for minimum wage, and about Joe Arpaio the fat, Neo-Nazi who doesn't do anything about anything but arrest illegal aliens that are only here doing jobs Americans wont do and interfering with Mesa Police. It's funny how you can read the same article and get such a different idea what it was about. Good job Sheriff Arpaio, keep up the good work, it's what we pay you to do.
samkat posted at 5:38 pm on Thu, Jul 14, 2011.
con: There is one way of looking at the issue. A person using fraudulent or stolen identity is committing a felony and should be tried, jailed and then deported. The BS about Americans being too lazy to work is an old and worn out excuse. Every time one of these companies is raided, there is a line of American applicants. I regularly see gringos around town doing landscaping so there goes another one of your arguments. By the way, what kind of wor do you do?
samkat posted at 5:40 pm on Thu, Jul 14, 2011.
No trust: Why don't you run down and apply for one of the positions that just opened up? :-)
ChillyWilly posted at 6:30 pm on Thu, Jul 14, 2011.
Alpine Valley Bread used to have US Citizens working for them. Somebody should ask the owner why he got rid of the guy running his bakery for 10+ years? I happen to know he got rid of him because he didn't speak Spanish.
vonnise posted at 7:50 pm on Thu, Jul 14, 2011.
NothingButTheTruth....I like your post. Sounds about like what Obummer is doing to the mindless idiots that are following him....he is leading them right over a cliff and they are such idiots they don't know it.....
also, go sheriff Joe, when you get Arizona cleaned up, can you please please please come over here to Florida....our taxpayers will love to have you clean up our state as well!!
AmericanPatriot posted at 8:26 pm on Thu, Jul 14, 2011.
No kidding Chilly, that explains why the sheriff went after that business. He only goes after businesses that are brought to his attention by complaints from citizens. American citizens don't like being replaced by illegal aliens. lol Why do businesses like to employ illegal aliens? 1. Illegals can be treated like dirt and no one will complain because they might get deported. 2. Illegals can be paid less and no one will complain because they might get deported. 3. Illegals don't have to be given health care, vacations, or any other benefits and no one complains because they might get deported. Illegal aliens can be treated like slave labor and some businesses want that. This phenomenon has the effect of bringing down wages and conditions everywhere because business owners who pay their employees a decent living find themselves at a disadvantage with businesses that hire illegal alien slave labor. The more we eliminate this problem the better off we will all be. Anyone who disputes this is a fool or an outright traitor.
Leon Ceniceros posted at 8:47 pm on Thu, Jul 14, 2011.
Sheriff Joe as usual shows what a "real' American Law Enforcement Leader does...he upholds the Law of the Land.
When Mesa Police Chief George "brown skin people have rights too" Gascon and Mesa Mayor Scott Smith and the old Mesa "rubber stamp" City Council threw out the "Sanctuary City Welcome Mat" for Illegal Aliens in Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador, Belize and Guatamala.
IS IT ANY WONDER THAT MESA COMPANIES ARE HIRING THESE ....ILLEGAL ALIENS........WHO ARE STEALING JOBS FROM UNEMPLOYED......100% LEGAL AMERICAN CITIZENS.
ANY ONE WHO DOESN'T UNDERSTAND THAT ...ILLEGAL ALIEN ENTRY INTO THE UNITED STATES IS A ......FEDERAL CRIME...........DOESN'T DESERVE TO BE AN ..........AMERICAN CITIZEN.
IF YOU LOVE THESE ILLEGAL ALIENS SO MUCH...MOVE TO THEIR COUNTRY.
chick posted at 12:53 am on Fri, Jul 15, 2011.
So you pro-criminal supporters, what laws shall we ignore now?
If an American citizen or Legal Resident did this, our rear end would be jailed. Why should a specific "group" get a "get out of jail free" pass? Go into your local SSecurity office and check out the fine and jail time for fraud.
The Equal Protection Clause provides that ALL LAWS are applied equally to everyone. If Illegal immigrants are given a pass on felonies, should your average American citizen criminal perpetrating fraud get a pass also?
How do you show you want to become an American? Do it the LEGAL WAY. Stop ignoring United States sovereignty, United States laws and Arizona laws. We are stuck with the American citizen criminals. Legal Residents can be arrested, deported and NOT become citizens (if found guilty). The Constitution should apply to EVERYONE.
chick posted at 12:55 am on Fri, Jul 15, 2011.
I have bought some of their items in a specialty grocery store. Alpine has LOST me as a customer.
k33j88 posted at 3:41 am on Fri, Jul 15, 2011.
Human nature is funny sometimes. When surrounded by predominately spanish-speaking folks, I blurt out----Sheriff Joe would love this place----they scatter like cockroaches. Why is that?
wdgnas posted at 4:49 am on Fri, Jul 15, 2011.
nothing about prosecuting the employer?
Masterrogue666 posted at 5:48 am on Fri, Jul 15, 2011.
Stealing someone’s identity is a felony- A HUGE percentage go on to commit additional crimes BESIDE JUST CROSSING our border illegally.
"The people are really hard-working loyal people." -- LOYAL? Yea, only to THEMSELVES. They don't care what crimes they commit, or the damage it does to our society.
Masterrogue666 posted at 6:20 am on Fri, Jul 15, 2011.
wdgnas: MCSO isn't responsible for that. However, they will report their findings to the County Prosecutor.
AmericanPatriot basically said what I would have to azconan. It's obvious that azconan isn't well informed as to what MCSO does do for the AMERICAN CITIZEN. azconan, I do suggest you check out MCSO's website, specifically the press releases. Then maybe you won't make such foolish statements. As for arrest warrants, MCSO isn't the ONLY Law Enforcement Agency responsible for clearing those warrants, why are you only mentioning MCSO? MCSO's PRIMARY responsibility is to FILE those warrants. Check it out, maybe you'll LEARN SOMETHING.
LinMesa: Is it possible that you are really that naive? MCSO means Maricopa COUNTY Sheriff's Office. Ergo, MCSO has THE RIGHT to go ANYWHERE in MARICOPA COUNTY. Now, if you do a Google search for "Cities of Maricopa County, AZ" you'll see an extensive list of cities that MCSO is REQUIRED to cover.
samkat: I'm employed already, but if I didn't have a job, and I needed the money, I would work ANY JOB (or TWO for that matter) to keep my family fed and keep a roof over our heads. I started working at 14 BEFORE there was child labor laws. I worked FULL TIME while attending college FULL TIME. So, I KNOW what hard work entails. I paid my dues, ILLEGAL ALIENS HAVEN'T, they are STEALING THEM....
Estoban posted at 11:06 am on Fri, Jul 15, 2011.
The only ones standing up for the illegal alien invaders are the criminals. The greedy employers, the greedy invaders and the greedy politicians are ALL willing to sneak around our laws with NO regard to the real pain and suffering this causes to Americans and LEGAL immigrants. Jail the employers, vote out the politicians and port every last illegal alien bottom feeder.
realist posted at 12:46 pm on Fri, Jul 15, 2011.
Who did these jobs Americans wont do before these illeagal parasites came?? ELVS
ketrout posted at 6:20 pm on Fri, Jul 15, 2011.
Thank You Sheriff Joe, keep up the great work that you are doing for the citizens of Arizona. Woould you consider coming to California (San Diego county) and do the same work here that you are doing there? Including creating a "tent city" and all.
Leon Ceniceros posted at 10:06 pm on Fri, Jul 15, 2011.
What is so ironic is that Alpine Bread was one of the favorites of the "yuppie-Left-wing-Liberal-Progressives"...no cholesterol, no fat, 100% Organic, full of fiber....lol.
All the while that these Obama-istas were buying this bread and giving in to their kids.....ILLEGAL ALIENS FROM MEXICO AND POINTS SOUTH....were the ones that mixed, kneaded and bake the bread that went to ..............A.J.'s....Sprouts....Costco....Sunflower Markets...and Whole Foods all over Arizona and the Western States.
The yuppies probably thought that Swiss or German bakers were making their children's 100% Organic sandwich bread....not Juan or Maria from Cerro Gordo, Chihuahua, Mexico.
Robin posted at 8:10 am on Sat, Jul 16, 2011.
Sheriff Joe - just doing his job! Upholding and enforcing the law![smile]
In_God_We_Trust posted at 7:54 pm on Sat, Jul 16, 2011.
Please help a national and Arizona American Hero by donating to hid recall election campaign. Senator Russell Pearce the author of Senate Bill 1070 is under attack from the liberal left for giving the state the authority to enforce the laws President Obama and Secretary Napolitano refuse to enforce.
These liberal leaders, who support Amnesty for those who broke our laws, are recalling Senator Pearce because of his leadership to secure our border.
Stand with him today and send President Obama, Secretary Napolitano and their liberal friends a message that we will never give up the fight to secure our borders.
National liberal groups are pouring thousands of dollars into the effort to remove Senator Russell Pearce from office. He needs your immediate financial support. Please donate as much as you can to support a true American Patriot, the author of SB 1070, and a leading voice to secure our borders.
http://protectanamericanpatriot.com/
AZ-Cruiser posted at 7:43 pm on Mon, Jul 18, 2011.
How does the news media know when these raids take place?
AmericanPatriot posted at 2:44 pm on Tue, Jul 19, 2011.
They're alerted to it the same way they're alerted to any other law enforcement event taking place. Public relation officers call them up.
In_God_We_Trust posted at 3:47 pm on Tue, Jul 19, 2011.
Four days now and I haven't heard about Mesa’s Alpine Valley Bread bakery outlet going out of business due to the inability to find Americans will to do the jobs only illegals will do. Could the unthinkable be true? Could there actually be Americans willing to lower themselves down to an illegals position and do the jobs only illegal aliens will do? This is outrageous! Someone needs to call La Ratza at once!