under the sponsorship scheme.
Stacy N. Bautista also known as Stacy N. Dela Cerna, 36, was arrested on Friday afternoon in San Antonio for document fraud, conspiracy to commit document fraud, unlawful employment of aliens, conspiracy to commit unlawful employment of an aliens, inducement by fraudulent misrepresentation, immigration and labor entrepreneurship fraud.
Bautista was brought to Superior Court for a bail hearing yesterday morning before Associate Judge Juan T. Lizama.
Lizama set a cash bail of $10,000 for her temporary release and remanded her to the custody of the Department of Corrections later.
The preliminary hearing was set for May 28 while arraignment was scheculed for June 9.
The affidavit of Attorney General Investigation Unit investigator Erwin Flores stated that Bautista and her co-defendants Elenita E. Camacho, also known as Ellen, and Weena P. Dulay, committed the offenses beginning May 2006 to March 2008.
Flores received information from a cooperating witness about the activities of the three defendants.
Only Bautista has been arrested so far. Camacho and Dulay were still at large as of press time.
The affidavit stated that Camacho and Bautista executed nonresident worker contract applications to the Department of Labor and the Division of Immigration to employ approximately 19 alien workers so they could acquire an immigration benefit by means of a sponsorship scheme.
According to the affidavit, the defendants created and used commercial enterprises named GEM Professional Service, WPD Accounting Service and Rhen Tailoring Dress Shop for the purpose of charging money to employ alien workers and allow them to remain in the CNMI through a sponsorship scheme.
Flores stated in his affidavit that Camacho is the sole proprietor of GEM Professional Service, Dulay owns WPD Accounting Service while Bautista is the owner of Rhen Tailoring Dress Shop. The businesses are not in operation.
The affidavit stated that Camacho and Bautista charged $1,000 to $1,500 from each alien worker sponsored under GEM Professional Service, WPD Accounting Service or Rhen Tailoring Dress Shop.
The aliens paid the defendants but no jobs were provided to them, the affidavit stated. It added that Camacho is married to a local man, Miguel M. Camacho who received $1,000 yearly as payment for maintaining a fraudulent marriage. This allows Camacho to remain in the CNMI with a valid IR permit.
