A disturbing case of attempted naturalization fraud has come to light in North Carolina, where a convicted child molester attempted to obtain U.S. citizenship by making false statements under penalty of perjury.
Armando Marinero-Garcia, a 49-year-old permanent resident of the United States, born in Mexico and residing in Johnston County, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle to five months in prison following a guilty plea to attempted naturalization fraud.
According to court records, on June 1, 2018, Marinero attempted to fraudulently obtain U.S. citizenship by making materially false statements under penalty of perjury regarding his naturalization application. In response to the question "Were you EVER involved in any way with any of the following:…Forcing, or trying to force, someone to have any kind of sexual contact or relations?" he answered "No." Also, in response to the question "Have you EVER committed, assisted in committing, or attempted to commit, a crime or offense for which you were NOT arrested?" he answered "No."
However, Marinero’s deception was exposed after he was convicted of four counts of indecent liberties with a child and one count of crime against nature in the Superior Court of North Carolina in Wake County on June 14, 2022. He was sentenced to a combined term of imprisonment of 100 months and ordered to register as a sex offender.
It is worth noting that Marinero committed the crimes on August 1, 2016, which means that the statements he made on his naturalization application were false.
The case was investigated by Agents with ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and Homeland Security Investigations, assigned to the Document Benefit Fraud Task Force, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sebastian Kielmanovich.
Defendant’s Information:
Defendant: Armando Marinero-Garcia
Criminal Charges: Attempted Naturalization Fraud, Attempted to Fraudulently Obtain U.S. Citizenship
City and State: Raleigh, North Carolina
Exact Date: June 1, 2018 (attempted naturalization fraud), June 14, 2022 (conviction)
Sentence or Outcome: Five months in prison
Related Federal Cases
- Jonathan Wheeler Johnston, Receipt and Attempted Receipt of Child Pornography, North Carolina 2023 · Michigan
- Clarence Brown Jr., Child Porn Relapse, North Carolina, 2023 · Connecticut
- Jordan Lee Adams, Child Pornography Production, North Carolina · Virginia
- Anthony Dale Helton, Child Sex Abuse, North Carolina 2023 · South Carolina
- Roland Vance Watson, Child Pornography Production and Sex Abuse, North Carolina 2023 · Arkansas
Key Facts
- State: North Carolina
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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