Saint Davids Man Facing Charges After Allegedly Hiring Illegal Workers

A Saint Davids man is facing fraud-related charges after allegedly encouraging workers to accept false identification from aliens unauthorized to work in the U.S., the U.S. Attorney's Office Eastern District of Pennsylvania said.

According to the Attorney's office, Larry Gauger, 45, of Saint Davids, was charged Wednesday by Information with one count of conspiracy to commit fraud and misuse visas and one count of fraud and misuse of visas.

If convicted of the charges, Gauger faces a maximum 10-year prison sentence, a half million dollar fine, up to three years supervised released and a $200 special assessment, the attorney's office said.

Guager allegedly directed his personnel at Asplundh Tree Experts, Inc. – where he serves as a regional manager – to knowingly accept false identification from hired employees from about 2010 to December 2014, the attorney's office said.

The attorney's office said this led to the re-hiring of Asplundh Tree Experts, Inc. employees who were determined previously by Homeland Security Investigations to be aliens unauthorized to work in the U.S.

The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Josh A. Davison and Assistant United States Attorney L.C. Wright.

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