DeKalb resident Luis Alfredo De La Cruz was indicted Tuesday by a federal grand jury in Rockford and charged with smuggling, transporting and harboring eight undocumented immigrants.

De La Cruz, 49, is charged with harboring the eight people at his business, Alfredo's Iron Works, 280 W. Lincoln Highway in Cortland, by employing them there, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Northern District of Illinois Office in Rockford. Alfredo's Iron Works was raided by federal immigration services June 1, during which U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials removed several employees from the plant.

The Chronicle made contact with De La Cruz on Tuesday night, but he did not want to comment on the charges.

According to the release, De La Cruz was indicted on charges of bringing undocumented immigrants into the U.S. at a place other than a designated port of entry, transporting undocumented immigrants within the U.S. and harboring them.

The charges allege De La Cruz did so for commercial advantage and his own financial gain.

According to the news release, in November 2015 and April 2016, De La Cruz brought two undocumented immigrants across the border without prior official authorization to enter. He’s also charged with harboring undocumented immigrants at Alfredo’s Iron Works on June 1, the day of the ICE raid.

Days after the ICE raid, De La Cruz issued a public apology.

“Several of our blacksmith workers were taken into custody on immigration charges,” De La Cruz said June 4. “I apologized to the police, to the community. I am an American citizen and I understand the purpose of the immigration laws. I apologize to any American citizens who may have been out of work due to any immigration violation at our shop. All income was reported, withholding taxes were withheld, and the taxes were paid.”

“We are a family business,” De La Cruz’s June apology continued. “I am a fourth-generation blacksmith worker and our work is top quality. No one ever said our blacksmith workers were involved in drugs or gangs. We are a specialized iron-shaping businesses. The blacksmith workers came to the U.S. with experience in ornamental and architectural work.”

De La Cruz faces a minimum prison sentence of three to 10 years for each count, and a fine of $250,000 for each count, with up to three years probation after his prison time, the news release said.

De La Cruz is expected to appear April 23 for arraignment in federal court in Rockford.

The DeKalb Police Department assisted in the investigation, according to the news release.