Eddie Michael Balderramas, Identity Theft and Harboring, Michigan 2016

GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN - In a shocking case of identity theft and harboring, a Kalamazoo father and son duo has been indicted for their role in assisting illegal aliens in obtaining Michigan driver's licenses using the identities of other individuals.

Eddie Michael Balderramas, 51, and his son Michael James Balderramas, 28, made their initial appearances in U.S. District Court in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on an indictment recently returned by a federal grand jury. The indictment alleges that between at least April 4, 2016, and July 20, 2017, the defendants conspired with a third individual, Michelle Martinez-Marte, to commit identity theft, social security account number fraud, and harboring and concealing of illegal aliens.

According to the indictment, Martinez-Marte acquired Puerto Rican birth certificates, driver's licenses, and social security account number cards in the names of actual individuals. Martinez-Marte would then refer the illegal aliens to Eddie Balderramas. Either Eddie Balderramas or his son Michael Balderramas would travel to New York City and transport the illegal aliens to Michigan, where they would be harbored at a home in Kalamazoo.

Eddie and Michael Balderramas produced false leases, paystubs, and other documents to make it appear as if the illegal aliens were truly Michigan residents. Eddie and Michael Balderramas would then transport the illegal aliens to Michigan Secretary of State Offices and would use the Puerto Rican documents in the names of other individuals, along with the counterfeit documents of Michigan residency, to acquire an authentic Michigan driver's license for the illegal alien using the name and other personal identifiers of an actual individual.

The indictment charges Eddie and Michael Balderramas with conspiracy, harboring, concealing or shielding from detection an illegal alien, and misuse of social security account numbers. The defendants face up to 15 years' imprisonment on the conspiracy charge, up to 10 years' imprisonment for harboring, concealing or shielding from detection an illegal alien, and up to 5 years' imprisonment for misuse of social security account numbers.

Eddie Balderramas currently remains in the custody of the United States Marshal Service awaiting a hearing on his continued detention. Michael Balderramas was released on bond. Martinez-Marte is in federal custody in Boston, Massachusetts, on related but separate charges.

The charges in an indictment are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdmi/pr/2018_0622_Balderramas