Feb. 16, 2023- 4T MFG, LLC, which is based in Sulphur Springs, pleaded guilty to a felony charge of aiding and abetting document fraud before a federal judge on Feb. 15, 2023. The company is closely related to a trailer manufacturer called Load Trail, sharing ownership and leadership.
According to court documents, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at Load Trail and found several employees had immigration documentation that was fraudulent or misleading. In 2018, a search warrant executed at Load Trail revealed multiple employees with immigration documentation that was either misleading or fraudulent. During the search, federal agents verified that 4T MFG employed individuals who lacked legal authorization to work in the United States. At least 18 had resident alien cards that had been unlawfully obtained through counterfeit, forgery, and other illegal means.
As part of their guilty plea, 4T MFG and Load Trail have agreed to pay $5 million in fines. Two prior CEOs of 4T MFG have been charged with misdemeanors for unlawfully hiring aliens. Cornelio Thiessen, 52, and Kevin Hiebert, 39, both of Honey Grove, each face up to six months in prison at sentencing.
