Frederick Sayre Anderson, a 65-year-old resident of Parkersburg, has been sentenced to three years of federal probation and ordered to pay $75,000 in restitution. The sentencing follows charges related to concealing, harboring, and shielding an alien from detection.
Court documents reveal that from January 2011 until May 7, 2021, a foreign national from Madagascar lived and worked at Anderson’s business in Parkersburg. Anderson admitted that the individual entered the United States on a K-1 nonimmigrant visa meant for marriage within 90 days—a condition he failed to meet—resulting in her unlawful status after April 8, 2011.
The foreign national was employed without compensation at Anderson's laboratory providing water quality testing kits. She lived in converted office space lacking shower facilities and had to rely on the home of John Robert Coe, Anderson’s business partner, for basic hygiene needs.
While working without pay, the foreign national depleted her life savings. Anderson encouraged her to obtain credit cards under false pretenses about her income and used them for business expenses and personal travel.
To evade detection by immigration authorities who visited his business multiple times in May 2021, Anderson instructed the foreign national to hide on the property. He misled agents by denying her presence at his facility.
“In this strange and saddening case, the defendant harbored an illegal alien for a decade and took advantage of her at every opportunity,” stated Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston. She emphasized the importance of enforcing immigration laws for public safety and national security.
John Robert Coe pleaded guilty earlier this year to employing a known illegal alien and will be sentenced on August 7, 2025. He has already paid $54,740 as part of his plea agreement.
The announcement was made by Johnston who praised the efforts of U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), West Virginia State Police, and Parkersburg Police Department in their investigation.
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence while Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case.
Further details can be accessed via PACER using Case No. 2:23-cr-187 or through the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.