Tampa, Florida – In a shocking case of identity theft, Elieser Aurelio Gomez-Zelaya, a 34-year-old Honduran man, has pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft and related fraud charges. Gomez-Zelaya faces a minimum term of two years, up to 12 years, in federal prison.
According to court documents, Gomez-Zelaya used another person’s means of identification to defeat the E-Verify system and to commit the felony offenses of misuse of a Social Security Number and false claim of United States citizenship for employment purposes. Gomez-Zelaya was encountered by law enforcement at the Joint Venture on September 22, 2022, where he was working under the stolen identity.
Unfortunately, the case took a tragic turn when another individual at the Joint Venture, Juan Molina-Salles, struck and killed Pinellas County Sheriff’s Deputy Michael Hartwick at the Joint Venture’s construction site in Pinellas County. During the investigation into Deputy Hartwick’s death, Gomez-Zelaya gave a false name (the stolen identity) to law enforcement and was arrested on state charges of accessory after the fact.
The 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.
Assistant United States Attorney Christopher F. Murray is prosecuting the case. The E-Verify system, administered by the Social Security Administration and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, is a web-based system that allows employers to electronically confirm the employment eligibility of their employees.
Gomez-Zelaya’s actions not only compromised the identity of another individual but also put the lives of others at risk. The severity of his crimes and the potential consequences will be determined during sentencing.
Gomez-Zelaya is currently awaiting sentencing, and his fate will be decided in the coming weeks. The case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of identity protection and the devastating consequences of identity theft.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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