Jesus Emmanuel Castro, Identity Theft, Minnesota 2023

A White Bear Lake man has been accused of using someone else’s identity for the past several years, according to a federal indictment filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota. Jesus Emmanuel Castro, a 27-year-old Mexican national living in White Bear Lake, was charged with one count of false claim of citizenship and one count of aggravated identity theft.

The indictment alleges that on July 19, 2012, Castro, also known as Jesus Immanuel Castro-Hernandez, provided the identification information of someone else on an I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification form and attested that he was a citizen of the United States. It also alleges that on July 19, 2012, Castro used the name, date of birth, and Social Security number of another person without lawful authority in relation to the crime of false claim of citizenship.

According to a law enforcement affidavit filed in the case, in April 2013, authorities were investigating an identity theft case involving Castro. On July 19, 2012, Castro applied for employment at an Eagan-based business and completed the employment forms using the victim’s identity.

If convicted, Castro faces a potential maximum penalty of five years in prison on the false claim of citizenship count, and a mandatory minimum penalty of two years on the aggravated identity theft count. Any sentence will be determined by a federal district court judge.

The case is the result of an investigation by the South St. Paul Police Department, the Ramsey Police Department, and the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Dunne.

Castro is presumed innocent until he pleads guilty or is proven guilty at trial. An indictment is a determination by a grand jury that there is probable cause to believe that offenses have been committed by a defendant.

The investigation into Castro’s activities is ongoing, and it is unclear what motivated him to use someone else’s identity. However, the indictment highlights the seriousness of identity theft and the consequences for those who commit this crime.

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