Defense attorneys react to Abby's Bakery decision

BROWNSVILLE, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Leonardo Baez and Alicia Avila-Guel, owners of Abby's Bakery, were found guilty on all three federal conspiracy charges by a jury on Wednesday.

The charges stem from a raid conducted by ICE in February, which led to accusations of harboring illegal immigrants and providing aid to specific individuals.

Sergio Luis Villarreal, attorney for Baez, expressed disappointment with the verdict.

"Not the result that we were expecting, we put our hearts and souls into this case and we will continue to do and fight for our clients," Villarreal said.

Cesar De Leon, representing Avila-Guel, commented on the speed of the verdict.

"I am extremely saddened," De Leon said. "I think this was a test case not just for the Valley but for the country. We don’t believe there was harboring in this case."

The prosecution successfully established motive and intent in connection with the allegations against Baez and Avila-Guel, who were accused of providing shelter to Gerardo Emmanuel Sanchez Martinez and Roberto Ibarra Otero, two workers taken into ICE custody.

Following the verdict, Baez and Avila-Guel left the court without making any statements, but their attorneys indicated plans to file an appeal.

Villarreal noted the potential impact on the community, stating, "It sets an example for the rest of the community and to the consequences that your everyday actions can have with the people that are closest to you."

De Leon argued that the laws were intended to target larger criminal organizations rather than individuals like Baez and Avila-Guel, who he described as bakers trying to make a living.

The sentencing hearing for Baez and Avila-Guel is scheduled for November 18, and they remain out on bond until then.

All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by KVEO. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by KVEO staff before being published.