NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (WKBW) — The owners of a Mexican restaurant are accused of using undocumented immigrants as labor. Roberto Montes-Villalpando of Sanborn and Abraham Montes of Lockport face several charges, including conspiracy to commit forced labor and harboring an alien for financial gain.
The U.S. Attorney's Office of WNY says the two men owned El Cubilete Mexican Restaurant in Niagara Falls between December, 2014 and late-2018. Prosecutors say the two men hired four men from Mexico to work at the restaurant illegally.
They are also accused of using physical harm or the threat of physical harm to get those men to work for them. One of the victims suffered serious injuries.
The suspects face up to 20 years in prison if they are convicted.