Chandler factory targeted in immigration raid

A candle company in south Chandler was raided Wednesday by Maricopa County sheriff's deputies acting on a tip that illegal immigrants were working there using stolen Social Security numbers.

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One of the victims of the identity theft is a member of President Bush's White House staff, according to Sheriff Joe Arpaio. While the Bush aide was not identified, the sheriff said a woman working at the Gold Canyon Candle Co., 6205 S. Arizona Ave., was using his Social Security number.

A total of 65 people were arrested when the search warrant was served on the business about 9:30 a.m. - 23 on suspicion of identity theft; five on criminal warrants; and 37 who are suspected of being illegal immigrants, according to sheriff's reports.

Rebecca Clyde, a spokeswoman for the company, said they have strict hiring guidelines and have used E-Verify for all employees. Clyde said deputies arrived around 9:30 a.m. and sealed the building. They did not show the warrant to anyone and gave no warning of the raid, she said. The only information the company was given was through a news release listed on the sheriff's office's Web site.

"No one has access to the building," she said, adding that company executives and its lawyer were denied access to an afternoon news conference held by Arpaio.

The investigation began with a tip in July to the sheriff's office that illegal immigrants were working at the factory, according to an agency news release.

"The source knew fairly well what was going on inside," Arpaio said. "You can figure that one out."

He did not elaborate.

The candle company's attorney, Ezra Clark, said he was concerned that employees of the company may have been denied access to a lawyer because the building was locked down during the raid.

"My client and I are very troubled by the way the Sheriff's Department handled this matter," Clark said in a written statement. "My client cooperated fully and completely with every request made by the Sheriff's Office, and we were not allowed to be present or observe what documents were being removed by the Sheriff's Office."

The case is being investigated as a possible violation of the state's employer sanctions law, which has penalties against employers that knowingly hire illegal immigrants.

Sheriff's reports say that several employees and at least one manager had devised an escape plan in case the business was raided.

When sheriff's deputies arrived, Arpaio said several men and women threw away their false identification and attempted to hide inside crates. Computer records and other documents were taken from the plant to determine whether managers knowingly hired illegal immigrants, the release said.

The candle company was started as a home-based business in 1997 by owners Curt and Karen Waisath. The current 120,000-square-foot facility was opened in 2004, according to Tribune reports.