Federal authorities say the co-owner of a dog food plant in upstate New York has admitted hiring four unauthorized workers from Guatemala.
According to authorities, 47-year-old Michael Dote of Edmeston has pleaded guilty to one charge for harboring the four people for two months in late 2013 at Scooby Rendering Inc. in Utica.
At a court hearing, he admitted hiring them without verifying they were authorized to work in the U.S.
Authorities say they learned the four were living and working there after a fire was reported at one of the plant's loading docks.
Sentencing is scheduled Sept. 18.
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