⏱ 2 min read
Two Brooklyn women, Ciera Blas and Kelly Josek, got a taste of federal hard time after a routine traffic stop turned up a stash of fake passports in Texas. Blas, 32, and Josek, 41, pleaded guilty to fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents, and were sentenced to 120 months and 90 months in prison respectively.
The operation was busted when Flower Mound Police Department officers pulled over a vehicle driven by Blas with Josek as a passenger. Inside, they found seven U.S. Passport Identification Cards and bank cards matching the names on the fake passports.
The U.S. Diplomatic Security Service took over the investigation and discovered the duo had used the personal info of over 80 individuals and 12 passport-style photos to create the fake documents.
U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs praised the work of local law enforcement, saying, ‘Counterfeit passport cards enable all types of crime from fraud to terrorism.’
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📋 Key Facts
- Crime: White Collar Crime
- Defendant: Texas
- Location: TX
- Source: DOJ Press Release
