SPRING HILL, KS - The owners of a framing company in Spring Hill, Kan., were sentenced January 29 to a year in federal prison for harboring undocumented workers, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.

Sentences were handed down to James and Kimberly Humbert, and Kimberly's brother Charles Stevens, owners of Advantage Framing Systems, Inc., Spring Hill, KS. The trio plead guilty to the charges.

In April 2013 the trio was indicted after an investigation found that Advantage Framing knowingly employed undocumented aliens. Advantage Framing issued checks to crew leaders, who then cashed the checks and paid undocumented workers in cash. The illegal payroll totaled $4.6 million.

“The company did not pay for Social Security, workers compensation or unemployment insurance benefits for those employees,” said Barry Grissom, U.S. Attorney for Kansas City.

Advantage Framing provided local builders and contractors with engineered floor, pre-built wall panels and roof truss systems, along with onsite framing erection labor. Advantage Framing Systems, Inc., was the umbrella for the framing services and trucking. Advantage Component Systems, Inc., carried out the equipment, lumber, inventory and design functions.