BUSINESS OWNER CONVICTED OF HARBORING AN ILLEGAL ALIEN SENTENCED

(HOUSTON) – The landscaping business owner who knowingly harbored an illegal alien by employing and leasing a residence to him has been sentenced to serve three months in prison, three months home confinement and to be under the supervision by the federal court for a period of five years, United States Attorney José Angel Moreno announced today.

Robert Lane Camp, 47, the owner of Camp Landscaping in Deer Park, Texas, and now a convicted felon, was sentenced to the five-year probationary term with special conditions this morning by United States District Judge Vanessa Gilmore. Camp pleaded guilty on Oct. 5, 2009, admitting that he knowingly harbored Juan Leonardo Quintero-Perez (Quintero), an illegal alien, by employing him and leasing a residence to him.  

According to pleadings filed in the case, Camp employed Quintero in his landscape business. When Quintero was arrested and charged by the state of Texas with indecency with a child in 1998, Camp bonded Quintero out of jail and continued to employ him. Quintero was sentenced to a term of deferred adjudication for the state offense. Quintero was deported in 1999, but illegally reentered the United States in Arizona, then flew to Houston. When Quintero returned to Houston, he resumed his employment with Camp. Camp also rented Quintero a home and listed Quintero’s wife, a U.S. citizen, in government records as an employee instead of Quintero.

On Sept. 22, 2006, Quintero was arrested while driving a Camp company vehicle by Houston Police Officer Rodney Johnson. While sitting in the back seat of Officer Johnson’s patrol car, Quintero retrieved a pistol hidden on his person and shot and killed Officer Johnson. Quintero was convicted of capital murder in the 248th District Court of Harris County, Texas, and has been sentenced to life in prison.      

The investigation leading to the charges against Camp was conducted by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Houston Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Jay Hileman and Ryan McConnell prosecuted the case.

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