A traveling carnival businessman was hauled before the courts, facing allegations of running a corrupt operation that preyed upon migrant workers, federal prosecutors said Monday. Angel Reyes Isidro, who also goes by Angel Reyes and Lucas Isidro Reyes, stands accused of a litany of charges including fraud in foreign labor contracting, false statements, and mail fraud. The 41-year-old operator of J&G Concessions LLC is said to have filed fake temporary employment applications back in 2019, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas.
Once the H-2B visa workers from abroad landed on U.S. soil, Reyes is alleged to suddenly forced them to pay illegal fees and dish out wages far less than the standard—while holding over their heads the threat of deportation and future employment loss to make certain they would continue to work under abysmal conditions. U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani announced the indictment which claims Reyes did not just stop there but also wielded a firearm to instill fear among his workers.
In court, concerns were raised that Reyes might attempt to flee or disrupt the justice process, with Judge Bryan labeling him a danger to the community. Reyes reportedly carried on with his carnival trade, using unauthorized workers from 2022 up until the day law enforcement caught up with him on April 28. The court also heard damning allegations of Reyes sexually harassing and assaulting female workers, followed by acts of retaliation against those who were victimized.
If Reyes is found guilty of mail fraud, he stands to face up to 20 years behind bars. Visa fraud could tack on another 10 years, and he might even be slapped with $250,000 in fines for each charge. The other counts against him could add up to five more years each if convicted. The case brought to light by the Department of State-Diplomatic Security Service, with a helping hand from the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General and Homeland Security Investigations, underscores an ongoing effort to crack down on document and benefit fraud.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine Lu and Khoa Tran have taken the reins on the prosecution.
