John Robert Coe, a 66-year-old retired employee of the Wood County Board of Education from Parkersburg, has pleaded guilty to employing an illegal alien. This admission was made in Charleston, West Virginia.

Court documents reveal that from early 2011 until May 12, 2021, a foreign national from Madagascar worked without pay at a business co-owned by Coe and Frederick Sayre Anderson. Coe acknowledged that he became aware of the individual's unlawful status in the United States sometime in 2011 but continued to employ her until May 2021.

The foreign national resided at the business premises, sleeping in an office converted into a bedroom without shower facilities. Coe allowed her to bathe at his home occasionally when she could not do so at the business location.

The business is described as a laboratory providing water quality testing kits nationwide. The foreign national's duties included shipping supplies, handling customer service calls, and managing accounts receivable for the company.

Coe also admitted to having the foreign national perform additional tasks such as cleaning his home and editing manuscripts for history books he intended to publish. He paid her cash for these side jobs.

On May 7, 2021, Coe learned from Anderson about federal immigration agents searching for the foreign national at their business. Although they discussed relocating her to a motel or Coe's residence, she remained at the business until federal authorities assisted her departure on May 12, 2021.

Coe is set for sentencing on May 5, 2025. He faces up to six months in prison and three years of supervised release along with a $3,000 fine. Additionally, he has agreed to pay $54,740 in restitution.

Frederick Sayre Anderson previously pleaded guilty on January 4, 2024, to charges related to concealing and harboring an alien and is awaiting sentencing.

United States Attorney Will Thompson praised the investigative efforts of several agencies including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), West Virginia State Police, and Parkersburg Police Department. The case was presided over by United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston with Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuting.

Further details can be accessed through PACER under Case No. 2:24-cr-178 or via the U.S. Attorney’s Office website for Southern District of West Virginia.