Los Fresnos bakery owners plead not guilty to harboring indictment

The owners of a Los Fresnos bakery have waived their arraignment Wednesday and pleaded not guilty to charges of harboring people in the country illegally.

Leonardo Baez and Nora Alicia Avila-Guel, who own Abby’s Bakery and Dulce’s Cafe in Los Fresnos, were set to appear for the hearing Thursday. By waiving their arraignment, they were not required to appear in Brownsville federal court.

The couple were arrested by federal agents on Feb. 19.

They made their initial appearance in federal court on Feb. 21 where it was revealed that an anonymous tip made to the Homeland Security Investigations tip line in December led to the investigation.

According to Special Agent Dillon Duke, who testified during the preliminary hearing, the tip accused Baez and Avila-Guel of illegally employing and harboring immigrants.

Federal agents visited Abby’s Bakery and Dulce’s Cafe, which are located in a plaza on the 400 block of West Ocean Boulevard, on Feb. 12. There, investigators encountered six individuals who held B1/B2 visitor visas and two individuals who were in the country illegally.

The special agent told the court that Baez and Avila-Guel admitted to employing the B1/B2 visa holders, who are not authorized to work in the United States, and the two individuals in the country illegally.

Further investigation revealed a room on the side of the property, marked “Unit 5,” had beds, air conditioning and clothing.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen Betancourt determined that there was probable cause and issued each of the defendants $100,000 bonds with $15,000 cash deposits.

Baez and Avila-Guel have since posted bond and returned to work.

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