Ex-Colombian legal aide held in scam

At least two dozen Colombian immigrants and their relatives were allegedly bilked more than $100,000 by a woman posing as an employee of the consul general of Colombia in Houston, officials at the Harris County Sheriff's Office said.

Colombian native Maria Jose Hurtado, 44, was arrested Monday in Katy by sheriff's officers. She was charged with aggregate theft for offering everything from green cards to citizenship to immigrants but never providing the services.

“This was a pretty significant case,” said Lt. Jeff Stauber, with the sheriff's office.

The legal aide worked as a contractor for the consulate for 13 years but was fired in 2008 after a separate accusation of charging Colombians fees for her services at the office.

Before she was fired, she was allowed to enter an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center where immigrants about to be deported were housed. Consular officials are allowed to meet with detainees at the detention centers.

25 alleged victims
And even after she was fired, she managed to enter that detention facility and meet with Colombians. About 80 Colombians are deported every month, said the consulate's legal adviser Johnny Ibarra.

She met with detainees in the center and said “I can help you,” Stauber said during a news conference Tuesday, “but it's going to cost you.”

Those services were never provided for the 25 victims who complained to the sheriff's office. The detainees asked their relatives for money to pay Hurtado and some of those victims complained to the consulate who turned the case over to the sheriff's office. All of these cases are from 2008.

Sheriff's officials expect more Colombians to come forward.

“There's really no telling how far back this goes,” Stauber said. “It's pretty egregious.”

Hurtado faces third-degree state felony charges, which could result in up to 10 years of prison time. She remains in the Harris County Jail.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials are looking into Hurtado's case. In fiscal year 2009, about 21,000 immigrants were detained in Houston area detention facilities.

jenalia.moreno@chron.com

Source: chron.com/