United States of America v. Avanibahen Patel

Beckley, West Virginia criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with hiring illegals.

Aakash Prakash Makwana, 30, a citizen of India unlawfully residing in Ronceverte, was employed at a Fairlea business owned and operated by Avanibahen Patel and her husband. Makwana assisted with running the daily business during the time period. Patel admitted that she and her husband agreed to hire Makwana knowing that he was living in the United States illegally after his immigration visa expired.

Patel’s husband, Rajesh N. Patel, 51, of Ronceverte, was sentenced on January 9, 2025, to three years of federal probation and fined $10,000 after pleading guilty to knowingly transporting an illegal alien.

United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case, as part of a special unit within the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia focused on the immigration enforcement objectives of Operation Take Back America.

The Defendant was found guilty and was sentenced to six months of federal probation.