ICE and Partners Execute Worksite Enforcement Operation at Wyoming Valley Pallets Inc. in Exeter, Four Detained on Allegations of Illegal Employment

An enforcement operation targeting illegal employment practices descended upon Wyoming Valley Pallets Inc. in Exeter, as confirmed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) unit in Scranton. The joint operation, which took place last Thursday, included cooperation from ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) in Philadelphia, the FBI, IRS-Criminal Investigations, and the U.S. Marshals Service, among other partners. Authorities executed a slew of arrests at the pallet manufacturing company, detaining four individuals on allegations of illegal employment in the United States, as reported by ICE.

According to the ICE news release, three Mexican nationals—Miguel Bruno-Vasquez, Vicente Coyotecal Matias, and Jesus Gallardo-Bautista—and Geoli Perez-Santana of the Dominican Republic were apprehended during the operation. The four individuals were transported to Pike County Jail to undergo processing. The action is reported to be a part of a larger Homeland Security Task Force initiative. ICE began to closely follow the suspects after being tipped off on March 14, when ERO verified Gallardo's employment record against an outstanding arrest warrant related to a DUI charge.

Gallardo, who has resided in the United States since 2007 without official authorization following the expiration of his visa, was ordered removed in absentia back in 2013. Gallardo's previous encounter with law enforcement includes an April 29, 2021, arrest by the Scranton Police Department for driving under the influence and operating a vehicle without a license. Coyotecal was arrested at the U.S. border on two separate occasions in 1999 and was returned to Mexico voluntarily each time. Bruno-Vasquez, however, reportedly has not previously crossed paths with ICE.

Perez-Santana, on the other hand, encountered U.S. Border Patrol on October 25, 2022, after having managed to illegally cross into the U.S. from Mexico near Calexico, California. Following his arrest, he was served with a notice to appear and was released on his recognizance, a decision implying a subsequent violation of immigration policy. The individuals' current statuses, following the recent workplace raid, remain uncertain pending further legal proceedings.