⏱ 2 min read
Nidia Roxana Maradiaga-Flores, a 28-year-old Honduran national, has been sentenced to 2 years and 2 months in federal prison for aggravated identity theft, false representation of a Social Security number, and making a false claim of United States citizenship for employment purposes in Tampa, Florida. Maradiaga-Flores, an illegal alien, was found guilty on January 14, 2026, after applying for employment with Archer Western-de Moya Group Joint Venture II and using another person’s means of identification to defeat the E-Verify system.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Maradiaga-Flores filled out an I-9 form on March 23, 2022, falsely identifying herself as a United States citizen. The case was investigated by multiple agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Transportation – Office of Inspector General, and the Social Security Administration–Office of the Inspector General.
The investigation revealed that Maradiaga-Flores used another person’s identification to work in the United States. The prosecutor, Special Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Wheeler III and Assistant United States Attorney Karyna Valdes, successfully argued the case, resulting in Maradiaga-Flores’ sentence.
The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. The case highlights the importance of E-Verify and the consequences of identity theft and fraud in the workplace.
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📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Defendant: Florida
- Location: US
- Source: DOJ Press Release
