TUCSON, Ariz. — A United States Customs and Border Protection officer is behind bars and facing federal charges after allegedly using a fake birth certificate to lie about his citizenship for years. Marco Antonio De La Garza Jr., 37, of Hereford, Ariz., was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 7, 2018, on three counts tied to passport fraud and making false statements to federal authorities.
The indictment alleges De La Garza, a Mexican citizen, used a fraudulently obtained Texas birth certificate to apply for a U.S. passport. Prosecutors say he then used that same forged document to falsely claim U.S. citizenship during a five-year background investigation required to maintain his position as a federal law enforcement officer with U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Documents filed in U.S. District Court, District of Arizona, detail how the alleged fraud undermined core security protocols meant to safeguard federal employment. De La Garza’s role as a CBP officer placed him at ports of entry, where trust and verified identity are non-negotiable. Now, those credentials are under criminal scrutiny.
The investigation was conducted jointly by the Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service and the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General. Agents uncovered discrepancies in De La Garza’s documentation, triggering a deeper probe that culminated in the grand jury’s action.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lori Price and Heather Siegele. De La Garza faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted on all counts. He remains presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Case Number: CR-18-00353-TUC-RCC. Release Number: 2018-024_Franco. For updates, visit the U.S. Attorney’s Office website or follow @USAO_AZ on Twitter.
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Key Facts
- State: Arizona
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
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