A Colombian national walked into a Louisiana DMV office with someone else’s name, someone else’s Social Security number, and the cold confidence of a man trying to rewrite his identity. Overth Riascos-Barahona, 33, of Colombia, pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of false claim of citizenship in Alexandria, Louisiana, after attempting to obtain a driver’s license under false pretenses.
Riascos-Barahona entered the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles on September 14, 2017, armed with forged documents bearing another person’s identifying information. Among the evidence: a counterfeit Social Security card carrying a name that wasn’t his. The move was brazen, but not smart enough to fool the system. Homeland Security Investigations and Louisiana State Police caught the slip-up and moved in.
U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook confirmed the guilty plea, which took place before U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell. The charge—false claim of citizenship—carries a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Riascos-Barahona now waits for judgment, with sentencing scheduled for May 18, 2018.
The case reeks of desperation and deception. Presenting a fake identity to a government agency is more than bureaucratic fraud—it’s a breach of legal integrity, a tool often used to deepen criminal footholds in the U.S. Riascos-Barahona’s motive remains unspoken in court records, but the implications are clear: false ID, real consequences.
Homeland Security Investigations and Louisiana State Police led the probe, peeling back layers of misrepresentation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dominic Rossetti is handling prosecution, pushing for accountability in a system increasingly targeted by identity fraud linked to immigration violations and illicit networks.
This isn’t just a paperwork crime. It’s a federal offense with teeth. Riascos-Barahona’s attempt to hijack another person’s identity may have started with a trip to the DMV, but it ends in a federal courtroom—with prison time on the line and a permanent criminal record in the works.
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Key Facts
- State: Louisiana
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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