PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – A 60-year-old man from Panama, Celso Javier Melgar, has pleaded guilty in federal court to Passport Fraud. The plea was made public by U.S. Attorney John P. Heekin for the Northern District of Florida.
“There is a right way and a wrong way to enter and remain in the United States,” said Attorney Heekin. “Preying on U.S. citizens and fraudulently utilizing their identities is a one-way ticket to federal prison. My office remains committed to taking back America by enforcing immigration laws.”
Court documents show that Melgar obtained a U.S. Business and Pleasure Visa in 1998 but never left the country upon its expiration in 2008. In 2003, he fraudulently applied for a U.S. passport using a citizen’s identity and a fraudulent Florida driver’s license. The passport was issued to him. Melgar then renewed his passport in 2015 under the same guise.
During law enforcement interviews, the real victim confirmed that he had not applied for or authorized anyone else to use his personal information for a U.S. passport. On March 31, 2025, Melgar was arrested and confessed to purchasing fraudulent identity documents for this fraud. He faces up to ten years’ imprisonment.
After serving his sentence, Melgar will face deportation proceedings. His release could be followed by up to three years of supervised release, during which any return to the United States would result in additional incarceration.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of State – Diplomatic Security Services and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer H. Callahan. Sentencing is scheduled for October 1, 2025, before Judge M. Casey Rodgers.
Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative led by the Department of Justice, is focused on illegal immigration enforcement, elimination of cartels, and protection of communities from violent crime. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices under the direction of the Attorney General, providing public court documents online at the USAO website.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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