FRESNO, Calif. – Maria Victoria Perez-Vasquez, 32, a Mexican national living in Fresno, is trading sidewalks for steel bars after receiving a 15-month federal prison sentence today. Chief U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill handed down the punishment for her role in a conspiracy to peddle counterfeit identification documents, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
Perez-Vasquez wasn’t dealing in petty cash. Court documents reveal a scheme operating between June 2015 and June 2016, where she and her co-conspirators sold bogus social security cards and alien registration receipt cards. Customers were willing to pay up to $150 for a complete set of fabricated documents – a clear indication of the desperation driving the demand.
This wasn’t some fly-by-night operation. Investigators with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), working alongside the California Department of Motor Vehicles, Investigations Division, built a solid case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher D. Baker prosecuted the case, bringing the full weight of federal law down on Perez-Vasquez and her network.
The bust went down on June 16, 2016, netting Perez-Vasquez and five other Mexican citizens. Four of her co-defendants have already pleaded guilty and received their sentences. But one remains at large: Fidel Vasquez-Velazquez. He skipped a bond forfeiture hearing on August 22, 2016, and is now considered a fugitive. It’s important to note that the charges against Vasquez-Velazquez are allegations at this point, and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The investigation highlights the ongoing issue of fraudulent documents and their potential use in enabling other criminal activities. While Perez-Vasquez is behind bars, the search for Vasquez-Velazquez continues, and authorities are urging anyone with information on his whereabouts to come forward. This case serves as a warning: the feds are watching, and those who profit from deception will face the consequences.
The Grimy Times will continue to follow the case of Fidel Vasquez-Velazquez and provide updates as they become available. The exploitation of vulnerable individuals through the sale of fraudulent identification remains a serious concern, and we will continue to report on those who prey on desperation for profit.
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Key Facts
- State: California
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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