Feds raid downtown boutique
| Thursday, Mar 18 2010 01:52 PM
Last Updated Thursday, Mar 18 2010 01:52 PM
Federal agents raided a new women's boutique downtown Thursday as part of what a government spokeswoman called an ongoing criminal investigation.
Armed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials emerged from unmarked vehicles mid-morning and entered Girlfriends at 1520 19th St..
"ICE was executing search warrants relating to an ongoing criminal investigation," agency spokeswoman Lori Haley said. She declined further comment.
Neighbors said a husband and wife team recently opened the business after moving out of a dress shop they owned on Ming Avenue. They described the couple as friendly.
"I'm surprised they're insinuating that they've done something wrong," said Gregory Pfeifer Sr., whose son is opening a diner near the boutique.
"They just opened up," said Christine Hennings, owner of Jezabelle's, a men's and women's clothing shop nearby. She added that the couple had been working on the store since at least January, and that she had chatted with the husband, who "seems nice."
"He said that he could definitely pull his clientele to come down here."
One of the co-owners, the husband, stood on a sidewalk just outside the business arguing with an agent at about 11:30 a.m. as other agents came and went. He declined to be interviewed.
ICE investigates a wide range of activities, from allegations of financial fraud to suspected intellectual property rights violations, Haley said.
