Jose Reyes-Acosta, Fraud and Identity Theft, New York 2024

Syracuse, NY - A 49-year-old Salvadoran citizen has been sentenced to 39 months in prison for using the identifying information of a U.S. citizen to obtain a U.S. passport and a New York state identification card.

Jose Reyes-Acosta, of El Salvador, was sentenced today in the Northern District of New York for illegally reentering the United States and committing fraud offenses. According to court documents, Reyes-Acosta admitted to purchasing stolen identifying documents that belonged to a U.S. citizen and using them to fraudulently obtain a U.S. passport in Massachusetts and a New York state identification card.

The case began in 2023 when Reyes-Acosta attempted to apply for a New York state identification card using the stolen documents. However, law enforcement detected the attempted fraud before the card was issued.

Reyes-Acosta was charged with five counts, including Illegal Re-Entry and Aggravated Identity Theft, which were charged in New York. He was sentenced to serve 39 months imprisonment and a $2,000 fine.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, ICE-ERO, the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service, the New York Department of Motor Vehicles- Division of Field Investigation, and the Utica Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Gillis prosecuted the case.

Reyes-Acosta is a 49-year-old Salvadoran citizen who was sentenced to 39 months imprisonment and a $2,000 fine for his crimes. He was charged with five counts, including Illegal Re-Entry and Aggravated Identity Theft.

The case highlights the importance of protecting personal identifying information and the consequences of committing identity theft and fraud offenses.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndny/pr/salvadoran-citizen-sentenced-fraud-offenses-and-illegal-re-entry