Eddie Balderramas, Michelle Martinez-Marte, Michael Balderramas, Identity Theft, Michigan 2019

GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN - A brazen scheme to obtain Michigan driver's licenses in the names of other individuals has been exposed, with three defendants pleading guilty to conspiracy and identity theft charges.

Eddie Michael Balderramas, 51, and his son Michael James Balderramas, 28, both of Kalamazoo, Michigan, along with Michelle Martinez-Marte, 37, of Rhode Island, have admitted to their roles in the conspiracy, which operated from April 4, 2016, to July 20, 2017.

According to the plea agreements, the defendants conspired to assist illegal aliens, mostly from the Dominican Republic, in obtaining Michigan driver's licenses using the identities of others. Martinez-Marte acquired Puerto Rican birth certificates, driver's licenses, and social security account number cards in the names of actual individuals from a source in Puerto Rico.

Martinez-Marte then referred the illegal aliens to Eddie Balderramas, who would produce false leases, paystubs, and other documents to make it appear as if the illegal aliens were truly Michigan residents. The defendants would then transport the illegal aliens to Michigan Secretary of State Offices and use the Puerto Rican documents, social security numbers, and counterfeit documents of Michigan residency to acquire authentic Michigan driver's licenses.

The illegal aliens paid Eddie Balderramas and Michelle Martinez-Marte for their assistance, which allowed them to live in the country under the names of others and avoid detection by immigration authorities.

The defendants face significant prison time for their crimes. Eddie Balderramas will be sentenced on January 22, 2019, and faces up to 15 years' imprisonment on the conspiracy charge, with an additional 2 years for his aggravated identity theft conviction. Michael Balderramas will be sentenced on January 28, 2019, and also faces up to 15 years' imprisonment on the conspiracy charge, with an additional 2 years for his aggravated identity theft conviction. Martinez-Marte will be sentenced on February 1, 2019, and faces up to 15 years' imprisonment on the conspiracy charge, as well as up to 2 years for her aggravated identity theft conviction and up to 2 years for her conviction of illegally reentering the United States after her prior removal from the country.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdmi/pr/2018_0920_Balderramas%20et%20al