CEDAR RAPIDS – Former Agriprocessors’ manager Hosam Amara is scheduled to appear today in federal court in Cedar Rapids following his extradition from Israel. According to Israeli authorities, Amara was arrested in Israel on March 31, 2011.
Hosam Amara, age 48, was first indicted on November 20, 2008. A July 16, 2009, superseding indictment charged Amara with one count of conspiracy to harbor undocumented aliens for profit, twenty-four counts of harboring and aiding abetting the harboring of undocumented aliens for profit, one count of conspiracy to commit document fraud, and one count of aiding and abetting document fraud.
If convicted, Amara faces up to ten years’ imprisonment on each of the conspiracy to harbor undocumented aliens for profit charge and the harboring undocumented aliens for profit charges, up to five years’ imprisonment on the conspiracy to commit document fraud charge, and up to ten years’ imprisonment on the document fraud charge. In addition, if convicted, Amara faces fines, special assessments, and supervised release following any imprisonment.
Amara’s first appearance in federal court in Cedar Rapids for an initial appearance and arraignment is set for today at 1:30 p.m.
As with any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Peter Deegan, C.J. Williams, and Matthew Cole. The investigation has been led by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Prior assistance was provided by the United States Marshals Service; United States Postal Inspections Service; Iowa Department of Public Safety; Iowa Department of Transportation; Federal Protective Service; Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations; United States Department of Labor; Public Health Service; United States Department of Agriculture; United States Environmental Protection Agency; Iowa Department of Natural Resources; Drug Enforcement Administration; Waterloo Police Department; and Postville Police Department.
Well isn’t this something, bring a guy all the way from Israel just to prosecute him, for harboring/employing illegals, at who’s expense. Hey, homeland security, FBI, and all you other Obama/Pelosi sheep, don’t we have these criminals right here in the good old USA that you could be charging. OH wait, this guy is probably not a US citizen, so he can’t vote. Here is another one of those intelligent government plans that’s pretty close to the icing on top of the cake.
I’ts called breaking the law and being held accountable for.Maybe more of this needs to happen too those who think they are above the law and don’t need too follow any rules of this great country, that so many people have fought and died for. Allen
Do you even know whats going on in the world. Read my comment again and see if you can comprehend it. What do you think that i’m commenting about. And please, don’t tell ME about the ones that have died for this country, I am well aware of them!!!!!!!
Allen, if you had known what the case was all about, if you had followed it since before it’s inception, you would have never made that kind of comment.
This is not about politics, as your comment clearly diverts, but of law.
The man was a fugitive, left the country to avoid prosecution. It was the Israeli government who arrested him, and assisted in his extradition.
I personally applaud both governments for bringing him back to face the consequences of his actions.
Maybe if you were to read the case history, and understand how he conspired with others to nearly ruin an Iowa community, perhaps you might understand.
Then again, perhaps your only intent is political name-calling, and not really about the subject of this article.