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Defendants Face Prison Time for ID Document Scam
FRESNO, Calif. — Two Fresno residents, Francisco Javier Hidalgo-Flores, 25, and Lizet Amairani Ramirez-Zazueta, 26, have pleaded guilty to their roles in a scheme that involved the manufacture and sale of fraudulent identification documents, including social security cards and alien registration receipt cards.
According to court documents, Hidalgo-Flores manufactured fraudulent identification documents, including social security cards and alien registration receipt cards, for customers who paid as much as $150 for a set of the fraudulent documents. The documents were delivered to customers and other co-conspirators in Fresno and Madera Counties.
The scheme was discovered through an investigation by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the California Department of Motor Vehicles, Investigations Division. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher D. Baker is prosecuting the case.
The indictment, which was handed down on June 16, 2016, charges Hidalgo-Flores and Ramirez-Zazueta with conspiring to produce, transfer, possess, and sell false identification documents. The charges against the remaining co-defendants are pending.
Under the plea agreements, Hidalgo-Flores faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Ramirez-Zazueta faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Hidalgo-Flores and Ramirez-Zazueta are scheduled to be sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill on December 12, 2016.
The case serves as a reminder of the importance of identifying and prosecuting individuals who engage in these types of crimes. The Fresno community can feel safer knowing that law enforcement agencies are working tirelessly to root out and prosecute these types of offenders.
Key Facts
- State: California
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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