John Robert Coe, a 66-year-old resident of Parkersburg, has paid $54,740 in restitution and a $500 fine for employing a foreign national whose presence in the United States was unlawful. According to court documents, Coe co-owned a laboratory that provides water quality testing kits to state and local governments nationwide. From early 2011 until May 12, 2021, the foreign national from Madagascar worked at this business without monetary compensation.
Coe admitted that he learned about the individual’s illegal immigration status at some point in 2011 but allowed her to continue working at the business until federal authorities intervened in May 2021. The foreign national performed various tasks for the company, including shipping supplies, handling customer service calls, and managing accounts receivable. She also lived at the business in an office converted into a bedroom.
Additionally, Coe acknowledged that he employed the foreign national for side jobs such as cleaning his residence and editing manuscripts for history books he was preparing for publication. He paid her in cash for these services.
On May 7, 2021, Coe became aware through his business partner Frederick Sayre Anderson that federal immigration agents were searching for the foreign national at their workplace. Discussions between Coe and Anderson about relocating her ultimately resulted in her remaining at the business until she left with federal authorities on May 12, 2021.
Frederick Sayre Anderson pleaded guilty earlier this year to charges of concealing, harboring, and shielding an alien from detection. He admitted to obtaining a K-1 fiancée visa for the foreign national but did not marry her within the required timeframe; as a result, he knew her stay became unlawful after April 8, 2011. Anderson received three years of federal probation and was ordered to pay $75,000 in restitution.
“Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the West Virginia State Police, and the Parkersburg Police Department.”
Coe entered his guilty plea on January 22, 2025. United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed his sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case.
Additional details can be found by searching Case No. 2:24-cr-178 on PACER (https://pacer.uscourts.gov/).
