HAMMOND | One of the men arrested in March in a raid on the Paragon Family Restaurant in Schererville has been criminally charged with illegally possessing a .357-caliber handgun.
Filemon M. Romero, of Schererville, was indicted Wednesday in Hammond federal court on charges of illegal gun possession and using a false Social Security number, according to a news release from the federal prosecutor's office. Another man -- Raul Reyes, 38, of Gary -- is charged with using a false Social Security number and illegally re-entering the United States after being removed from the country in 2002, the release stated.
Both men were arrested in the Paragon raid March 24, said a source with knowledge of the investigation.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested several people in the early morning raid on the restaurant on U.S. 30 near U.S. 41. An ICE spokeswoman said the agents served search warrants as part of an "ongoing criminal work site enforcement investigation." Agents also raided a nearby house.
Most local immigration violations are handled through civil proceedings in Chicago, but illegal immigrants accused of crimes are charged in Hammond federal court.
