Alonso Ramos Ciprian Charged with Faking U.S. Citizenship

A Guatemalan national is facing federal charges for pretending to be an American citizen. Alonso Ramos Ciprian, 20, of Guatemala, was hit with a one-count information charging him with a false claim to U.S. citizenship, according to Carole S. Rendon, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

The charge alleges that between November 16, 2015, and November 16, 2016, Ciprian—identified as a citizen of Guatemala and therefore an alien in the United States—willfully and falsely claimed to be a U.S. citizen. The act itself is a federal offense, carrying serious penalties for those who misrepresent their status under federal law.

Ciprian’s case will head to sentencing if convicted, with the court weighing factors unique to the case. These include any prior criminal record, his role in the offense, and the nature of the violation. While the statutory maximum penalty stands, actual sentences often fall below that threshold.

The investigation leading to the filing was a joint effort by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations unit, and the Salem Police Department. Their collaboration uncovered the false claim during routine immigration scrutiny.

Assistant United States Attorney David M. Toepfer is handling the prosecution. Authorities stress that the filing of an information is not evidence of guilt—only an accusation that must be proven in court.

Under federal law, every defendant is entitled to a fair trial. The burden rests entirely on the government to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Alonso Ramos Ciprian remains presumed innocent until proven otherwise.