04/02/2006

State worker may face charges

She is accused of selling fake documents

BY IAN C. STOREY

istorey@record-eagle.com

TRAVERSE CITY — Federal officials are tight-lipped over whether a former state employee who resigned amid allegations she sold fake documents to illegal immigrants will face criminal charges.

Juanita "Janie" Schlagel, of Williamsburg, was listed in federal affidavits filed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent John Alpers, who sought charges against Miguel Martinez-Garcia and Ofmara Maltos-Trevino, both of Traverse City. They allegedly violated federal law by unlawfully employing aliens and using fraudulent immigration documents.

Schlagel worked for the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth at a Michigan Works office on Garfield Avenue in Traverse City.

The illegal workers were contract employees of Florida-based Rosenbaum-Cunningham International Inc., and worked at Grand Traverse Resort and Spa.

Assistant U.S. attorney Hagen Frank said he could not comment on an investigation into illegal documents.

"It is very much ongoing, but I really can't speak to the facts outside of those already stated in affidavits," he said.

Schlagel, who abruptly resigned from the state on May 20, told investigators that Santiago Echaniz of Traverse City — a worker with RCI Inc. — provided the resort with "numerous illegal aliens."

Repeated attempts to reach Schlagel, who has not been charged criminally, were unsuccessful.

The investigation led to a February raid that netted more than 20 illegal and undocumented employees working for RCI at the Acme resort.

Schlagel began as a migrant services worker with the state Department of Labor and Economic Growth in April 1993 after part-time stints with other state agencies, according to personnel records obtained through the state's Freedom of Information Act.

Schlagel allegedly sold Social Security numbers and alien registration documents from her Traverse City office when immigration investigators caught up with her during undercover operations in spring 2005, according to U.S. District Court records in Grand Rapids.

Federal search warrants were executed at Schlagel's office in Traverse City and her Williamsburg home.

Frank said he does "know what is going on" with the investigation into Schlagel, but could not comment on her status as either a suspect or a witness.

"It would be inappropriate for me to talk about specific individuals who are involved with the ongoing investigation but who have not been charged," he said.

Martinez-Garcia and Maltos-Trevino are scheduled for a jury trial in Grand Rapids on May 22 if plea deals are not reached before then, according to federal court records.

See related story:

• State employee triggered probe - March 16, 2006