⏱ 2 min read
Rosmery Morales-Mejia, a 27-year-old Mexican national, pleaded guilty to using a counterfeit Green Card to obtain employment at the Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant in Nitro, West Virginia. Between June 28, 2025, and January 16, 2026, Morales-Mejia used the fake document to work at the restaurant, where she and her husband, Wilmar Aristo Pablos-Miguel, rented a room from the owner, Miguel Aguirre-Arello Sr.
Morales-Mejia admitted that she and her husband knew the documents were counterfeit and used them to obtain employment. They were among six illegal aliens indicted after a search warrant was executed at the restaurant on January 16, 2026. Morales-Mejia, Pablos-Miguel, and Jose Alfredo Cruz-Perez each pleaded guilty to fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents and were sentenced to time served with ICE immigration detainers pending.
The case highlights the issue of visa fraud and the exploitation of illegal aliens in the workplace. Morales-Mejia’s guilty plea and sentencing serve as a reminder of the consequences of using counterfeit documents to obtain employment in the United States.
Morales-Mejia will be subject to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer for her transfer to ICE administrative custody for removal proceedings. The outcome of the case demonstrates the efforts of law enforcement agencies to combat visa fraud and protect the integrity of the immigration system.
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📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Defendant: West Virginia
- Location: WV
- Source: DOJ Press Release
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