⏱ 2 min read
Wilmar Aristo Pablos-Miguel, a 42-year-old Mexican national, pleaded guilty to fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents in Charleston, West Virginia. Pablos-Miguel, who was living illegally in Nitro, used a counterfeit Immigration Form I-551, also known as a Permanent Resident Card or Green Card, to obtain employment at Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant from June 28, 2025, to January 16, 2026. He was encountered by law enforcement officers during a search warrant execution at the restaurant on January 16, 2026.
Pablos-Miguel is among six illegal aliens indicted following the execution of the search warrant, each on charges alleging they were working at the restaurant without legal status. The indictments against the remaining defendants, including restaurant owner Miguel Aguirre-Arello Sr. and his son, manager Miguel Angel Aguirre, are pending.
The case is part of Operation Country Roads, an immigration enforcement operation conducted by ICE with state and local law enforcement partners, which yielded over 650 arrests throughout West Virginia in January 2026. Pablos-Miguel was sentenced to time served and will be subject to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer for his transfer to ICE administrative custody for removal proceedings.
The investigative work was commended by United States Attorney Moore Capito, who announced the guilty plea and sentencing. The case highlights the ongoing efforts of law enforcement agencies to combat immigration fraud and enforce immigration laws in West Virginia.
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📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Defendant: West Virginia
- Location: WV
- Source: DOJ Press Release
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