Immigration, Customs Enforcement Officer Accused Of Harboring Girlfriend Living In U.S. Illegally

NEWARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) - How's this for irony? Federal prosecutors in Newark have accused a deportation officer of harboring his girlfriend, who is in the U.S. illegally, and lying about his ownership of a hair salon.

Thirty-seven-year-old Arnaldo Echevarria of Somerset is scheduled to make an initial court appearance on Thursday. He is employed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Authorities say ICE gave Echevarria permission to open a hair salon in West Orange in 2012 as long as it would not involve people who were in the U.S. illegally. Prosecutors say Echevarria knew his girlfriend and anther salon employee were not legally in the U.S.

Authorities say he paid employees in cash and never asked them to fill out employment paperwork.

Harboring and making false statements are each punishable by up to five years in prison.

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