AMARILLO, Texas-
Eleven former workers arrested during a raid of the Swift & Co. meatpacking plant in Cactus pleaded guilty to federal felony charges Wednesday and face prison time.
The former meatpacking plant employees entered pleas in federal court in Amarillo, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
Charges against them stem from a December immigration raid at the Swift plant in the Panhandle conducted as part of an investigation into the use of Social Security numbers by illegal immigrants to gain employment.
Ten defendants each pleaded guilty to one count of fraud in connection with an immigration document. Each faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
An 11th defendant pleaded guilty to one count of false representation of a Social Security number and faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Sentencing dates have not yet been scheduled. Six other related case are pending, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. Thirty-five others previously entered pleas.
Raids at Swift & Co. plants in six states led to the arrests of more than 1,200 immigrant workers. No charges were filed against Swift.
The company bills itself as the world’s second-largest beef and pork processor.
