Mississippi chicken plant contractor admits to harboring illegal immigrant workers

Published 9:35 pm Tuesday, May 11, 2021

A Mississippi woman has pleaded guilty to harboring a person in the country illegally for financial gain, federal officials said.

According to court documents, Iris Villalon, 45, of Brandon, Mississippi, operated Southern Knights Industrial Services which provided employee management and payroll services to A&B Inc, a poultry processing plant in Pelahatchie, Mississippi.

Villalon was charged with and pleaded guilty Monday to aiding and abetting the illegal harboring as the owner of the employee management company, Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca said in a news release.

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Villalon is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 19. She faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.