Immigration Probe Nets Feds Two Arrests

Federal agents arrested a 48-year-old immigration officer and an Astoria salon owner last week, charged with soliciting bribes in return for valid green cards, authorities said.

Jose Gomez, a district adjudication officer at the Garden City, Long Island office of Citizenship and Immigration Services and Farid Bouchaib were arrested at Gomez' East Elmhurst home following a two-year probe that revealed the pair accepted a $12,000 bribe to expedite a green card, authorities said.

In a criminal complaint unsealed by the U.S. Attorney's Office, investigators allege Bouchaib, owner of Profile Unisex Hairstyling in Astoria, acted as an intermediary between Gomez and the victims.

The customer in the transaction was actually a federal informant, authorities said.

Gomez was released on $150,000 bail and Bouchaib was released on a $500,000 bond at hearings at Brooklyn Federal Court.

Authorities said federal prosecutors now have 30 days to indict the two men. Meanwhile, police at the 115th Precinct in Jackson Heights are ratcheting up efforts to find another man accused of soliciting payment to expedite his victims' immigration status.

Police said Guzman, 51, who is still at large, has allegedly approached people in Jackson Heights on at least two occasions, posing as an immigration officer. In both cases, Guzman offered to help speed the process in exchange for an undisclosed amount of cash. They said Guzman drives a 2000 red Ford Explorer with Connecticut license plates.

Anyone with information on Guzman's whereabouts is urged to call the Crimstoppers Hotline at 1-800-577- TIPS.- Liz Goff