ACTION 8 UPDATE: Mexican restaurant owner indicted for misuse of PPP loans
A Mexican restaurant owner has been indicted on charges related to the misuse of federal loans.
The U.S. Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, FBI and Immigration and Customs Enforcement and several others, held a press conference in Auburn Tuesday.
Federal agents executed search warrants at 14 businesses and residential properties across Lee, Elmore, Macon, Autauga, Crenshaw and Baldwin counties.
The warrants were related to a federal indictment of Cesar Campos-Reyes, of Auburn.
Campos-Reyes was indicted on four counts of bank fraud, four counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering related to the misuse of Paycheck Protection Program, or PPP, loans.
Acting U.S. Attorney Kevin Davidson said the money, totaling $225,000, was used for illegitimate purposes.
Davidson said Campos-Reyes self-surrendered earlier this evening and is now in federal custody. Three others were taken into federal custody during the execution of the search warrants.
During the search, agents found distribution levels of methamphetamine, powder cocaine, crack cocaine, assorted pills, cash and at least 20 firearms.
In addition, agents encountered 40 undocumented people who were later detained by ICE.
Campos-Reyes is expected to make his initial appearance in federal court Wednesday. If convicted on all charges, he faces a sentence of up to 30 years in prison along with significant fines. There is no parole in the federal system.
