Former SLO County restaurateur accused of exploiting immigrants

July 21, 2025

By KAREN VELIE

A disgraced former San Luis Obispo County restaurateur is now facing allegations he exploited undocumented immigrants to financially benefit himself.

While Robert Clouston owned two restaurants in Paso Robles – Estrella and Robert’s Restaurant – and Robert’s Restaurant & Bar in Arroyo Grande, he was sentenced to one year in jail in 2014 for stealing from a 99-year-old Templeton woman. The court later ordered Clouston to pay approximately $327,000 in restitution.

Along with his wife Brenda, Robert Clouston moved to Arizona where he opened a small chain of restaurants – four Colt Grills.

Following a three-year labor exploitation investigation. federal agents arrested Robert and Brenda Clouston, along with undocumented immigrants Luis Pedro Rogel-Jaimes and Iris Romero-Molina, on July 15.

All four suspects are charged with conspiracy to transport illegal aliens, conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens, conspiracy to encourage and induce aliens to unlawfully enter the United States and knowingly employing unauthorized aliens, according to a May 27 federal indictment.

Beginning in 2022, the Cloustons, Rogel-Jaimes and Romero-Molina devised a scheme to create a cleaning company that would operate as a staffing company for the Colt Grill restaurants. The group paid the workers below minimum wage and didn’t compensated them for overtime. They also did not pay proper employment taxes for the workers.

If convicted on the first four charges, the Cloustons, Rogel-Jaimes and Romero-Molina each face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine. Knowingly employing unauthorized aliens carries a maximum penalty of six months in prison and up to a $3,000 fine per unauthorized employee.