Two Agriprocessors Inc. supervisors facing charges for aiding and abetting undocumented workers prior to the May 12 immigration raid at the Iowa kosher meatpacking plant will remain in federal custody until their trials.

During a detention hearing this week, U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Jon Scoles ruled that Juan Carlos Guerrero, 35, and Martin De La Rosa-Loera, 43, should continue to be detained pending trial due to the weight of the evidence against them and their own previous criminal activity. Although Guerrera-Espinoza became a legal resident in 2002 and De La Rosa-Loera earned naturalized citizenship in 2006, both men originally entered the country illegally.

The earlier federal indictment alleged that a few days before the execution of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement search warrant at Agriprocessors in Postville, Guerrero-Espinoza told a group of employees that they needed new identification and social security numbers in order to continue working at the plant. He then, according to testimony, told the workers that they would need to provide him with a photograph and $200 or $220. Fraudulent resident alien cards were allegedly supplied to Agriprocessors workers. Guerrero-Espinoza is charged with aiding and abetting aggravated identity theft, and encouraging aliens to illegally reside in the U.S.

The complaint against De La Rosa-Loera alleges he told some undocumented workers that they could not longer be employed at Agriprocessors because their identification was bad. He later allegedly told those same employees that they could return to work using the same names that had previously been used for employment. De La Rosa-Loera is charged with aiding and abetting the possession and use of fraudulent identity documents and encouraging aliens to illegally reside in the U.S.

The May 12 raid resulted in the seizure of dozens of fraudulent permanent alien resident cards from the meatpacking plant’s human resources offices.

A preliminary hearing has been sent for July 17 at the temporary federal courthouse on C Street SW in Cedar Rapids.

Federal authorities continue to seek information on the whereabouts of a third supervisor, Hosam Amara.

A spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security said the investigation continues, but would not say whether the agency anticipates more members of management to face charges.

An Agriprocessors spokesman refused comment on recent events except to say that plant management has and continues to cooperate with federal officials.