ALEXANDRIA, VA – Mergia Negussie Habteyes, 58, a naturalized U.S. citizen residing in Alexandria, Virginia, was sentenced to three years in federal prison today for fraudulently obtaining citizenship by concealing his brutal past as a human rights abuser. The sentence, handed down by Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis, III, also included the revocation of Habteyes’ U.S. citizenship, effectively stripping him of the protections and privileges he illegally secured.
The case, spearheaded by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, revealed that Habteyes actively participated in the horrific atrocities committed during Ethiopia’s “Red Terror” from 1977 to 1978. This period saw the ruling military council, the Derg, systematically arrest, imprison, interrogate, and torture tens of thousands of individuals perceived as political opponents. Habteyes, investigators found, wasn’t a bystander – he was an active participant, inflicting pain and suffering on detainees.
Court documents detail Habteyes’ methods of torture: beatings with belts, rods, and other implements, resulting in lasting physical and emotional scars. He interrogated victims about their affiliation with the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Party (EPRP), the primary opposition to the Derg, seeking information through violence. This wasn’t a matter of wartime excess; it was systematic persecution based on political beliefs. Habteyes deliberately concealed this history when he arrived in the United States in 1999, falsely presenting himself as a refugee.
The deception continued through the naturalization process. During his 2008 sworn interview, Habteyes explicitly lied, stating he had never persecuted anyone for their political opinions and had never committed a crime. He also falsely claimed he had never provided false information to U.S. officials. These were not omissions; they were direct, material lies designed to mislead immigration authorities and fraudulently obtain U.S. citizenship. “Negussie hid his past atrocities…and lied his way into the United States,” stated U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger. “United States citizenship…is not intended for those who persecute their fellow man.”
The investigation was a joint effort led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., with significant support from the Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center (HRVWCC). The HRVWCC, established in 2009, is dedicated to tracking down and prosecuting individuals who have committed atrocities abroad and sought refuge in the United States. This case demonstrates the government’s commitment to holding accountable those who have committed heinous crimes, regardless of how long ago or where they occurred. The HRVWCC leverages a multi-agency team including ICE HSI, the FBI, and the Justice Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander E. Blanchard and HRSP Trial Attorney Jamie B. Perry successfully prosecuted the case. The sentencing was announced jointly by U.S. Attorney Terwilliger, Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski, and Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Lechleitner of ICE HSI Washington, D.C. Habteyes’ case serves as a stark reminder that the United States will not be a safe haven for those who have committed atrocities against humanity and attempted to conceal their crimes through fraudulent means.
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Key Facts
- State: Virginia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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