Maryland pool company owner sentenced for hiring unauthorized aliens

GREENBELT, Md. — A Maryland man was sentenced in federal court Monday for knowingly hiring unauthorized aliens. The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in cooperation with the Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General; U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Raymond Scott Vincent, 47, of Gaithersburg, Maryland, was sentenced to two days in prison followed by 60 days of home confinement as part of 18 months of probation. Judge Paul W. Grimm also ordered Vincent to perform 80 hours of community service, pay a fine of $36,000 and forfeit $42,262.60.

According to the plea agreement, Vincent was the owner of RSV Pools, a pool service company that provided lifeguards and pool maintenance to pools in the Washington metropolitan area. From January 2009 through June 2013, RSV hired at least 12 unauthorized aliens. Vincent approved the employment of each unauthorized alien and knew that at least three of the individuals were not legally authorized to work when he approved them for employment.  The other nine employees were legally authorized for employment when they were hired, but their work status expired and they continued employment with RSV, all with Vincent’s knowledge. Vincent approved paying four of the unauthorized employees in cash so that they did not appear on RSV’s books.

Vincent also permitted at least three of the unauthorized aliens to rent a company apartment in 2012 and 2013.  Vincent profited, either directly or indirectly through RSV, from the unauthorized aliens’ rent payments.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas P. Windom prosecuted the case