9 arrested at Scottsdale restaurant in identity-theft case (The Arizona Republic)

9 arrested at Scottsdale restaurant in identity-theft case
by Ian Sullivan - Feb. 19, 2010 04:35 PM
The Arizona Republic

The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office arrested nine employees of a Scottsdale Mexican restaurant Friday on suspicion of identity theft and forgery.

Sheriff's officers executed a search warrant at Arriba Mexican Grill, 15236 N. Pima Road, following a one-year investigation into suspected immigration-related violations.

Nine employees, including the store manager who was found hiding in the bathroom, were booked into jail at 11 a.m., Sheriff Joe Arpaio said.

The Sheriff's Office has been investigating the restaurant for more than a year after a former employee tipped the office, Arpaio said. The former employee told investigators that several employees admitted to living and working in the state illegally.

Sheriffs also executed a warrant at the company's corporate headquarters, 15025 N. 74th St., Scottsdale, and seized employee and payroll records. The deputies are continuing to investigate the nine detainees.

Arpaio's deputies have conducted 30 work-site raids armed with search warrants for employees who had allegedly committed crimes such as forgery, fraud and identity theft. Deputies arrested hundreds of workers on those allegations, but until recently, enforcement of the law seemed to avoid its intended targets: employers.

In November, County Attorney Andrew Thomas filed a complaint against a custom cabinet-and-furniture business, Scottsdale Art Factory, which continues to make its way through federal court.

One month later, Thomas announced sanctions against a water park that had already closed and re-opened under new management, making the sanctions void.