Tyler

By CASEY KNAUPP
Staff Writer

A federal grand jury in Tyler indicted 11 people this week, including two men charged with using other people’s Social Security numbers to work at Pilgrim’s Pride.

Floriberta Beltran-Munoz and Jesus Perez-Arroyo, both of Winfield, were indicted on charges for using Social Security numbers not assigned to them to maintain employment at Pilgrim’s Pride. They each face up to five years in prison if convicted.

On April 16, federal authorities arrested 45 people at the Pilgrim’s Pride facilities in Mt. Pleasant as part of a roundup of illegal immigrants allegedly using other people’s Social Security numbers to obtain employment.

Also indicted in Tyler on Tuesday include:

Alfonso Hernandez-Tapia, 44, of Mexico, was indicted for being in the United States illegally after he was deported. The defendant, who was found in Gregg County on April 3, faces up to 20 years in prison.

Thompson was also charged with four counts of providing a false statement and nine counts of mail fraud, while Ms. Thompson was charged with five counts of mail fraud.

Thompson, a former crane operator for the Red River Army Depot, was injured in 2000 and began collecting disability benefits from the Office of Workers Compensation. Since 2002, the couple conspired and caused the office to issue nearly $135,000 in funds to which he was not entitled, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas.

Both defendants are also accused of filing a false claim with Combined Insurance and defrauded the company out of more than $64,000. If convicted of the conspiracy, they face up to five years in prison, as well as 20 years for the mail fraud charges.

On July 10, Nacogdoches police performed a traffic stop on a vehicle in which the three defendants were occupants. A search of the car revealed methamphetamine, cocaine and a firearm.

The defendants face up to 40 years in prison.