Coast men charged with using illegal workers

BILOXI — Three men have been indicted on charges of conspiring to use undocumented immigrants for construction work at Keesler Air Force Base.

Federal court documents identify them as Randall Jacob Weitzel and two of his employees, Edwood S. Brodtmann and Agustin Arcadia.

The indictment says Weitzel was operating Biloxi-based businesses known as Artisan Textures Inc. and Procoat, and was project manager for a subcontract at Keesler during the alleged conspiracy.

All three are charged with conspiring to defraud the government. Weitzel also is charged with 17 counts of making false statements.

The Sun Herald reports Arcadia pleaded not guilty Nov. 8.

Initial appearances are pending for Weitzel and Brodtmann.

It was not immediately known whether the men have attorneys.