WILMINGTON, N.C. – In a shocking case of child molestation cover-up, Billy Efrain Penaranda, a 39-year-old naturalized citizen, was sentenced to two years’ probation in federal court. Penaranda, born in Bolivia and residing in Pitt County, North Carolina, had previously been convicted of indecent liberties with a child and was civilly denaturalized as a U.S. citizen.
According to court records, Penaranda knowingly used a fraudulently obtained naturalization certificate to apply for a North Carolina driver’s license on June 20, 2019. He had acquired U.S. citizenship and a certificate of naturalization on August 31, 2009, by making materially false statements under oath on his naturalization application. When asked if he had ever committed a crime or offense for which he was not arrested, Penaranda answered ‘No.’
On November 14, 2012, in the Superior Court of North Carolina in Craven County, Penaranda was convicted of indecent liberties with a child. He was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of between 16 and 20 months and ordered to register as a sex offender. The victim was 12 years old. Penaranda had provided police with a written confession in which he admitted to molesting and photographing the naked victim multiple times over a nearly two-year period.
Prior to his arrest, Penaranda had not been arrested due to his naturalization, which made immigration officials unaware of his crime. He was not arrested until after he naturalized. Penaranda’s actions have sparked outrage and concern for the safety of children in the community.
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, as part of Operation False Haven, an initiative designed to identify and prosecute child molesters and other egregious felons who fraudulently obtained U.S. citizenship. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sebastian Kielmanovich prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:20-cr-00445-M-1.
The case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of thorough background checks and the need for law enforcement agencies to work together to protect children from predators like Billy Efrain Penaranda.
Mandatory Facts:
* Defendant/Respondent: Billy Efrain Penaranda
* Exact Criminal Charges: Using a fraudulently obtained naturalization certificate, indecent liberties with a child
* City and State: Wilmington, North Carolina
* Exact Date: June 20, 2019 (sentencing), August 31, 2009 (crime date)
* Sentence or Outcome: Two years’ probation
* Dollar Amounts: None
Related Federal Cases
- 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, North Carolina 2024 · Alaska
- John Doe, Child Pornography, North Carolina 2022 · Alaska
Key Facts
- State: North Carolina
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
Sex CrimesSex CrimesSex CrimesSex Crimes