The owner of several Mexican restaurants in the area and Mid-west is among nineteen defendants charged in a federal racketeering conspiracy to hire undocumented workers from Mexico, Guatemala and El Salvador.
51 year old Jose Luis Bravo of Claremore, Oklahoma is identified as the leader of the enterprise known as Specialty Foods LLC.
Homeland Security executed search warrants at restaurants in Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma.
Among those charged are current and former managers at restaurants in Springfield, Lebanon, West Plains, Willow Springs, St. Robert and Butler.