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Tampa, FL
A federal jury has found Cristian Daniel Diaz-Garcia, a 27-year-old Honduran national, guilty of two counts of aggravated identity theft, two counts of false representation of a Social Security number, and two counts of making a false claim of United States citizenship for employment purposes.
Diaz-Garcia faces a maximum penalty of 24 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 17, 2026.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Diaz-Garcia is an illegal alien from Honduras with no lawful status in the United States. He applied for employment with the Archer Western-de Moya Group Joint Venture II in Pinellas County on two separate occasions, once in 2021 and again in 2023.
On both forms, Diaz-Garcia falsely identified himself as a United States citizen and used another person’s means of identification to defeat the E-Verify system. After getting fired in 2022, Diaz-Garcia purchased additional means of identification of a different U.S. citizen without their knowledge.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Transportation – Office of Inspector General, the Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General, the United States Border Patrol, the Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office.
It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph Wheeler, III and Assistant United States Attorney Karyna Valdes.
The case is a stark reminder of the ongoing threat posed by identity thieves who seek to exploit the system for personal gain.
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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