Identity Thief Mendoza Montero Gets Federal Time

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Alfredo Mendoza Montero, 45, of Mexico, is headed to federal prison after being convicted of a brazen scheme to steal the life of an American citizen. Montero was sentenced to two years and one day behind bars after pleading guilty to passport fraud, false impersonation of a U.S. citizen, and aggravated identity theft. The Northern District of Florida U.S. Attorney’s Office announced the sentence, a clear message that exploiting American identities won’t be tolerated.

U.S. Attorney John P. Heekin didn’t mince words. “Thanks to the investigative work of our incredible federal law enforcement partners, this criminal illegal alien will be held accountable for stealing the identity of a U.S. citizen that he used to conceal his unlawful presence in our country,” Heekin stated. “Prison and a swift removal from our country awaits him, and should be a warning to others that violations of our immigration laws will not go unpunished.”

Court records paint a picture of calculated deception. Montero slipped into the United States in 2019 and almost immediately began acquiring the documentation of a legitimate American. By 2022, he’d used this stolen identity to fraudulently apply for a U.S. passport. The following year, he secured a Florida driver’s license, completing his false persona. He lived in the Pensacola area under this assumed identity until federal authorities finally caught up with him on April 1, 2025.

The investigation, a multi-agency effort, underscored the importance of protecting national security. Ryan McSeveney, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service Miami Field Office, emphasized that “Safeguarding U.S. passports and visas is critical…supporting the…goal to make America safer.” Michelle L. Anderson, Acting Inspector General of the Social Security Administration, highlighted the victim: a U.S. citizen in Puerto Rico whose life was upended by Montero’s actions.

“This sentencing highlights the seriousness of identity theft, and the extent individuals will go to falsely claim U.S. citizenship to obtain government credentials,” Anderson said. Homeland Security Investigations also weighed in, with Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno stressing that identity theft is far from a victimless crime. “It affects real people, causing emotional distress, financial instability, and legal complications that can take years to resolve.”

The case was a collaborative effort led by the Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, with critical support from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Social Security Administration-Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia H. Forbes prosecuted the case. This prosecution falls under “Operation Take Back America,” a nationwide initiative aimed at tackling illegal immigration, dismantling cartels, and securing communities. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, one of 94 nationwide, continues to be on the front lines of federal litigation.