Branson business owner pleads guilty to foreign labor violations

The former owner of a now-defunct Branson labor leasing business pleaded guilty last week to foreign labor violations.

Steven Teel, 39, of Branson, pleaded guilty June 13 to harboring foreign workers and making false statements related to dozens of foreign workers in violation of their visas after entering employment contracts at Branson locations, according to a news release from the office of Tammy Dickinson, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Missouri.

According to the plea agreement, Teel started the labor leasing business in 2005 with John Voisine, the owner of Santa Cruz Management, to recruit foreign workers to the U.S. under the H-2B nonagricultural temporary worker program, and place those workers in the seasonal workforce. Teel purchased the business from Voisine in January 2009, and Voisine pleaded guilty in December 2011.

By pleading guilty last week, Teel admitted he arranged for 78 workers who were scheduled to work in Myrtle Beach, S.C., but actually were hired by businesses in Branson in violation of the workers' visas and the applications submitted to and approved by federal authorities, according to the release.

Teel also admitted he instructed foreign workers to mislead U.S. State Department and U.S. Border Patrol officials by telling them, if asked, they would receive training in Branson for employment in Myrtle Beach.

By illegally harboring the workers in Branson, Teel received $124,210 in revenues from Branson employers.

Under federal statutes, Teel could be subject to up to 15 years in prison without parole and a fine of up to $500,000. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled following the presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office, the release said.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney, and it was investigated by the Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General, the Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service and Homeland Security Investigations.