Owners of Colt Grill Indicted for Employing Undocumented Workers

Categories: Arizona Breaking NewsArizona State News

Federal agents investigate Colt Grill BBQ amid allegations of undocumented worker exploitation.

News Summary

Robert and Brenda Clouston, owners of Colt Grill BBQ, have been indicted for allegedly hiring undocumented immigrants at their restaurant locations in Arizona and Alabama. During a federal raid, they were accused of exploiting unauthorized workers through a cleaning service, paying them below minimum wage, and neglecting employment taxes. Charges against the Cloustons carry significant penalties, with an arraignment scheduled for later this month. This case sheds light on the ongoing tensions surrounding immigration laws and the responsibilities of employers in the U.S.

Arizona — Robert and Brenda Clouston, the owners of Colt Grill BBQ and Spirits, have been indicted on multiple charges for allegedly hiring and harboring undocumented immigrants at their restaurant locations in Arizona and Alabama. The Cloustons, both 61, were arrested during federal raids conducted by agents of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) on July 15. The raids targeted multiple Colt Grill establishments across these states, revealing a larger scheme to exploit undocumented workers.

Alongside the Cloustons, two additional individuals, Luis Pedro Rogel-Jaimes, aged 33, and Iris Romero-Molina, aged 29, were also indicted. Both Rogel-Jaimes and Romero-Molina are undocumented immigrants from Mexico. Federal authorities claim that the Cloustons operated a cleaning service named R&R AZ Cleaning to employ unauthorized workers for the restaurants. This scheme allegedly involved paying these workers through the cleaning business while simultaneously operating the Colt Grill restaurants.

The indictment outlines that the undocumented workers were compensated below the minimum wage and often did not receive payment for overtime hours worked. As a result, the Cloustons, along with Rogel-Jaimes and Romero-Molina, are accused of benefiting financially from this arrangement while also neglecting to pay required employment taxes. The Cloustons face multiple conspiracy charges related to transporting and employing illegal aliens, each carrying substantial penalties of up to 10 years in prison and fines of $250,000. Additionally, a pattern of employing unauthorized workers could lead to six months in prison and a $3,000 fine for each unauthorized employee.

All four defendants made their first appearance in federal court in Phoenix on July 16, with an arraignment hearing scheduled for July 21. During the investigation, several undocumented workers were arrested for immigration violations as federal agents conducted coordinated operations across the restaurant locations.

This extensive investigation lasted three years and involved collaboration between federal and local law enforcement agencies. The Cloustons operate four Colt Grill locations in Arizona, situated in Old Town Cottonwood, Prescott, Prescott Valley, and Sedona, along with a site in Foley, Alabama. Under federal law, employers are required to verify their employees’ work authorization by completing I-9 forms, a requirement the Cloustons reportedly ignored. Arizona’s state regulations further mandate the use of the federal E-Verify system for employment status checks.

Reports indicate that Robert Clouston was aware of Arizona’s laws regarding mandated overtime pay, yet allegedly instructed a manager to bypass necessary paperwork for newly hired employees to facilitate the employment of undocumented individuals. Investigators also claim that Clouston actively sought to replace U.S. citizen workers with undocumented employees to reduce labor costs.

This case falls under “Operation Take Back America,” a nationwide initiative aimed at combatting illegal immigration and associated criminal practices. Local police were involved to maintain public safety during the execution of search warrants amidst the raids.

The aftermath of these developments has resulted in significant emotional reactions from the local community. Reports included a video shared on social media of a woman named Ximena expressing distress over her father’s arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following the raids. Additionally, the Colt Grill restaurant chain has announced potential layoffs of up to 200 employees due to the investigations and subsequent closures related to the case.

This incident highlights ongoing tensions surrounding immigration laws and the responsibilities of employers in the United States, as the consequences of such actions continue to impact families and communities.