TYLER, Texas – A brazen scheme to sell counterfeit immigration documents has landed three Tyler residents in hot water, announced U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown today.
Jose Luis Marquez Rodriguez, 53, Eleazar Juarez Juarez, 45, and Virginia Colis Rodriguez, 52, were named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury on April 17, 2019, charging them with conspiracy to traffic and traffic in counterfeit U.S. identification documents.
According to court documents, the defendants allegedly flooded the Eastern District of Texas and elsewhere with counterfeit United States identification documents, including United States Permanent Residence Cards, United States Social Security Cards, and Driver’s licenses. The documents were produced using materials shipped and transported in interstate commerce.
The scheme involved the defendants selling the identities of unsuspecting United States citizens for approximately $200 apiece. To facilitate the scheme, the defendants instructed end customers to text Rodriguez’s cell phone number with their headshots taken against white backgrounds and their requested name and date of birth for the counterfeit U.S. documents.
The defendants then manufactured counterfeit United States identification documents at Rodriguez and Colis’ home in Smith County. One of the defendants would then deliver the counterfeit identification to the end customer and accept payment. Rodriguez kept detailed records of their distribution efforts, recording 90 sales of counterfeit United States identification documents in March 2019 alone.
If convicted, the defendants face up to 15 years in federal prison. The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Smith County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Texas Department of Public Safety. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Bloss.
It’s essential to note that an indictment should not be considered as evidence of guilt and that all persons charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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