Indians held for illegally bringing workers to US

Federal prosecutors have charged Amrutlal Patel and his wife, Dakshaben Patel, both 46,for illegally bringing Indians to US and making them work for long hours and for low wages at their fast food retaurants.

The couple who operates four Subway restaurants in Lexington have employed undocumented Indian nationals who worked 10-12 hours a day throughout the week for little pay, Assistant US Attorney Hydee Hawkins felt that provides patels "substantial financial gain".

Federal prosecutors have said the Patels are a flight risk and could flee the US for India if they are released. by using the large amounts of cash they have from their businesses to flee and have already sent about USD 100,000 back to India, Defence attorneys have argued that the Patels will not leave the country because of their business and two young children and contended that patels are helping Indians in providing them jobs.

The couple came to the US in 2006, hoping to become citizens. However an employee at one of the restaurants have complained that he had been denied food and allegedly beatenup by the couple. This was according to a sworn statement from Homeland Security Investigations agent David Ramalho, who said one of Patel's employees had asked the witness to go to police for help because he was tired of being treated badly.

The employee said the Patels had kept him and three other men from India in a secret room in the basement of their house and used to lock them at night. Sometimes they made the employees work even when they were not well.

The alleged illegal activity lasted for over a year beginning September 2012 and the investigation began after the witness went to Lexington police in August to report that "bad things" were happening to workers at Subway stores operated by the Patels.

Lexington police then began its investigation and conducted extensive surveillance to document that the Patels were transporting and housing illegal aliens, according to Ramalho's affidavit. The employees each owed nearly $100,000 for being brought from India to work for the Patels.

When authorities searched the Patels' home, they found one of the employees in a locked room upstairs. Another employee told authorities he got food, lodging, transportation and $1,800 a month to work 10 hours a day, seven days a week at the Patels' restaurants.