Texas Surveying Company, Supervisor Sentenced for Harboring, Transporting Illegal Aliens

Author: Melissa A. Silver, XpertHR Legal Editor

January 14, 2014

GPX/GPX, USA, a seismic surveying company based in Sealy, Texas, and its field operations supervisor, Douglas C. Wiggill, were sentenced for harboring and transporting illegal aliens hired to work on oil and gas surveys in Pennsylvania, the US Department of Justice announced in a press release.

These sentences resulted from indictments that alleged the following:

  • That GPX and Wiggill hired 19 illegal aliens to work on a seismic surveying project in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania;
  • That GPX and Wiggill failed to verify the aliens' immigration status;
  • That GPX and Wiggill failed to complete the Form I-9 for these aliens and did not obtain supporting documentation demonstrating the aliens' work authorization; and
  • That GPX executed and certified in its contractor compliance agreement that all workers were authorized to legally work in the US, even though they were not.

In March 2013, GPX pled guilty to conspiring to transport and harbor illegal aliens. Wiggill pled guilty to aiding and abetting the improper entry of illegal aliens.

According to the press release, a US District Judge sentenced GPX to 3 years' probation and ordered the criminal forfeiture of $250,000, a $25,000 fine and a special assessment of $400 payable over the term of probation. GPX was also ordered to implement a compliance program to verify the employment eligibility and identity of all of its current and prospective employees by using E-Verify and the Form I-9 process. Wiggill's sentence consists of a $5,000 fine and a special assessment.

John Kelleghan, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Securities Investigations Philadelphia, stated that "Homeland Security Investigations is committed to holding businesses and their managers accountable when they knowingly hire an illegal workforce."