A Michigan dairy farmer has been sentenced by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan to two years in prison after pleading guilty to knowingly hiring illegal workers at his two dairy farms, which are located in Huron County, Mich. Denis Burk, a native of Ireland, was also ordered to pay a nearly $1.4 million fine. His wife, Madeline Burke, was sentenced to probation last fall and agreed to pay a fine of $187,500.

Court documents show that Burke employed illegal workers, some on multiple occasions using different Social Security numbers.

In a court filing, Burke’s lawyer said the prison sentence would “result in the financial ruin” of his 3,500-head dairy operation.

Six other individuals were arrested during the investigation for helping transport the illegal immigrants. Four of them were sentenced to prison on felony charges.