GAINESVILLE, Ga. – A Gainesville couple has been sentenced to years in prison for defrauding members of the city’s Latino community in a long-running immigration scam.
Olga “Betty” Beatrice Villarreal, 53, and Armando Eligio Villarreal, 55, were both convicted of theft by deception and fraud in Hall County Superior Court.
This week, Judge John Breakfield sentenced Olga Villarreal to six years in prison followed by 18 years of probation, while Armando Villarreal received eight years in prison—with one year credited as time served—and 17 years of probation.
According to Gainesville Police, Olga Villarreal was arrested in June 2023 after authorities discovered she had been charging local residents thousands of dollars under the false promise of expediting their immigration paperwork.
A year later, investigators with the Hall County Sheriff’s Office tracked down Armando Villarreal in Texas. He was extradited back to Georgia and charged as her accomplice. Together, the two were found to have extorted around $120,000 from several victims.
Judge Breakfield emphasized the couple’s exploitation of vulnerable community members while delivering their sentences.
